I won't disagree that the majority of web developers do things like load jQuery, before they even know why they need it. Usually because they're a novice trying to create a blog for their cousin and never had any actual web development experience. But please remember that not all web developers are like that.
When used properly JavaScript can enhance the overall security and experience of the site. For example, I like to SHA1 my user's passwords before submitting them to the server. Then I'll SHA1 that with a random seed and store it in the database. Or I'll add simple encryption algorithms to encrypt sensitive data. Of course it all runs under HTTPS, but never hurts to have a little more security.
Unfortunately the masses of web developers who "have gone suck fucking heavy" with JavaScript drown out the few of us who know when and how to use it.
What you're not taking into account is the complexity of State laws. States have a wide range of gun regulations that vary greatly. Let's look at Gun Homicides specifically. In California, which is the most restrictive State, is the 4th highest at 4.82 per 100,000. While Utah, which has some of the most lenient laws, has 0.93 per 100,000. If you take the time to graph out all the data you'll find that there are States with very restrictive gun laws, which have both high and low death rates per capita. Same with lenient States. What you'll find is low statistical correlation between gun restrictions and gun deaths.
In the end the statistics plainly show that it is impossible to say either way whether gun restrictions prevent deaths.
This is hardly going to affect Google. DNT basically says you can't be tracked by third-party cookies. Meaning, a third party can't set a cookie on your browser from some other website. Since Google can set a cookie on your machine when you use their search engine to find something, it's not in violation of DNT. And if you're logged in to your Google account, they can still cross-reference all your search history, +1's, etc. to get you personalized results. It's mostly going to affect companies like AdClickMedia.
No straw-man here. You're original comment was just all inclusive. All you said was "supporting code [...] necessary to run". So you would have to include all supporting code. If you had excluded OS level instructions, then I wouldn't have had a problem. Because if Tron had been written in Java, you would also have to include all the source for the JVM. Now, a C level program that compiled down to machine code, then cool. But you didn't specify the scope of "supporting code".
If you're going that far, then how many more lines of code were required to write the kernel of your operating system?
You've just stuck your head down a rabbit hole, and the rabbit ripped your head off.
- Appreciating data-types, their limitations and the perils of using casting them incorrectly helped me a lot in understanding about things I need to be careful about
Understanding data types is important in JavaScript. How to convert from one type to another (e.g. String to Number). Just need to remember that you can reuse a variable name. Also it's important they understand that there are no integers (only IEEE-754 double precision floats), and why 0.1 + 0.2 !== 0.3.
Are they going skip the concept of Pointers ? It's not wise to use them unless necessary but to be aware of the concept was very rewarding for me
Understanding pointers in JavaScript is very necessary. All Arrays and Objects in JavaScript are passed by reference. If you don't understand the concept of a pointer in JavaScript then you will spend a lot of time beating your head into the screen wondering why the Array you passed as a function argument keeps getting altered.
If they switch to another language to teach stuff which JS doesn't support, they might lose their audience and so blind side a large set of them.
I'm not being facetious here, but I could say the same about developers everywhere who hate JavaScript but have little exposure to the language. That problem goes both ways.
I'm calling B.S. I was raised in a single parent low income home where my mother was able to hold a full-time job and was still able to make us healthy meals. Morning was easy, just a bowl of oatmeal or such. Takes a whole 3 minutes for a PB&J, or even easier was to have yesterdays leftovers for lunch. Dinners would be pre-prepared or left in a crockpot or any number of different methods that were quick and easy.
I mean really, look at the number of hours spent on the TV each week and tell me they couldn't take 30 mins out every day for at least one decent meal. It all comes down to priorities. Nothing more.
There are plenty of awesome books that clearly and concisely explain how to use JavaScript most efficiently. Off the top of my head, John Resig's two books "Pro JavaScript Techniques" and "Secrets of the JavaScript Ninja" would also have to be at the top of your "most widely-respected" list. "The Good Parts" has a small section explaining things that will cause programmers problems down the road. And it does this because the language is so flexible people who don't want to learn the language properly will hack together anything just to get past the "pain" of it all.
I've been coding javascript since 2002 and love the language. To quote Robin Williams, "People call these things imperfections, but there not. Ah, that's the good stuff." And that's the way it is. JavaScript has way more things right about it then there are wrong. Every language has its imperfections, and for some reason people are convinced that javascript is only that. Unless you code in a language full time for years, don't think you can speak authoritatively on it.
...you clearly think you know it all - and every web problem can be solved by resorting to Javascript.
Once again with your overly general comments, and in this case I can't fathom what you mean by "every web problem." JavaScript is a language that the browsers use, and it's quite possible to understand it well enough to handle a website of any complexity.
One day when you get to architect or manage big projects requiring large teams of developers you will certainly see the world differently. Good luck with your career.
So I guess currently being in charge of Configuration Management and Development Workflow for the upcoming store launches of Toy'R'Us, Timberland, RadioShack and other GSI Commerce clients doesn't count? We're using Java on the back-end, and it's sufficient, but hardly necessary on the client-side with a well experienced team of developers. The 4 years experience I mentioned was of a very specific scope.
I haven't posted in a while, but this is wrong on so many levels. Let's start:
...basically GWT is to the Web what the Java Virtual machine is to hardware...
I guess maybe on some strange high level of abstraction this might be metaphorically applicable, but in reality it's completely wrong. I think you meant "GWT is to the browser," but still nope.
...you write GWT in Java, which you already know and are using on your back-end Enterprise cluster.
Wow. What a strangely strong assumption. I think what you said just before this is key, "...you just don't have to care about it." Guess when you have a hammer everything really does look like a nail. Java isn't the only solution available, and definitely not the best for everything (or nearly anything imho).
...if you are writing a significant part of your AJAX web application at the level of HTML5 and ECMAScript then you are doing the Web-equiavalent of writing assembly code...
Every time I read this my stomach turns over. First, did you overhear ECMAScript mentioned by a co-worker? It's the freakin' standard. Browsers use JavaScript, a specific ECMAScript implementation. That's like saying you know how to run your POSIX Operating System. Also, GWT does not compile from a complex language to a simple language, it compiles a complex language to an equally complex language (though for different reasons). People who can't program a complex website without the use of their beloved OOP is because they are unable to adapt to the web development workflow.
I've been doing this for 4 years and have helped launch significantly complex websites. None of these have needed an overly complex layer of gooey fluff to help complete a well designed product. GWT is nice for Java developers who don't know how to do web development, but never say that GWT can replace a well skilled web developer.
Factorials were someone's attempt to make math LOOK exciting.