Comment Is Java becomming a good scripting language? (Score 1) 114
I like the new language features a lot. Let me preface this with, I am a big Python fan, and Jython has most if not all of these features already (I am the author of a Jython book by Addison Wesley).
Generics make sense, and they look a lot easier than C++ templates.
The new for construct, also make a lot sense (very python like).
As well as the new auto boxing feature. (Why should I have to worry about this..... let the compiler do the work for me!)
My opinion is that if the compiler can figure it out, then why bother me with it.
Make the compiler smarter so I have to type less.
Less code that I write means less code I have to maintain!
Back before Java became popular, I was a C++ bigot. I programmed in nothing but C++. I lived, ate and breathed C++. If it wasn't C++, it was rubbish. I thought C++ was the alpha and omega of object-oriented programming. I had "operator overloading" for breakfast, "templates" for lunch and "multiple inheritance" for dinner, and I always went back for seconds.
Then a funny thing happened. I got a new job at another company as a C++ programmer. But they pulled the old bait and switch. Once I started working, someone suggested writing a good portion of a large project in a scripting language. I protested - I would not condescend to program in any other language but C++.
Shortly after I started at this new company the following edict was put forth: "Thou shall use a scripting language." Thus I was forced by management to write a good portion of the project in a high-level scripting language. They told us to glue components written in C++ together with this scripting language (in addition to writing components in C++). At first I hated it, as any self-respecting C++ bigot would. Then, gradually, the productivity of my team - and me - skyrocketed!
The higher level you can make Java, the more productive it will be. These features they are adding make so much sense to me.
I hate purity for the sake of purity. I dogmatically dislike development dogma. Life is full of compromises. There is no pure Java langauge... Let Java grow! Let it become higher level. Heck, there are a few features from Ruby that I'd like to see Java adopt.
I am not saying that Java should one day be like Perl. I think things have to be added judiciously, but let the language evolve!
Generics make sense, and they look a lot easier than C++ templates.
The new for construct, also make a lot sense (very python like).
As well as the new auto boxing feature. (Why should I have to worry about this..... let the compiler do the work for me!)
My opinion is that if the compiler can figure it out, then why bother me with it.
Make the compiler smarter so I have to type less.
Less code that I write means less code I have to maintain!
Back before Java became popular, I was a C++ bigot. I programmed in nothing but C++. I lived, ate and breathed C++. If it wasn't C++, it was rubbish. I thought C++ was the alpha and omega of object-oriented programming. I had "operator overloading" for breakfast, "templates" for lunch and "multiple inheritance" for dinner, and I always went back for seconds.
Then a funny thing happened. I got a new job at another company as a C++ programmer. But they pulled the old bait and switch. Once I started working, someone suggested writing a good portion of a large project in a scripting language. I protested - I would not condescend to program in any other language but C++.
Shortly after I started at this new company the following edict was put forth: "Thou shall use a scripting language." Thus I was forced by management to write a good portion of the project in a high-level scripting language. They told us to glue components written in C++ together with this scripting language (in addition to writing components in C++). At first I hated it, as any self-respecting C++ bigot would. Then, gradually, the productivity of my team - and me - skyrocketed!
The higher level you can make Java, the more productive it will be. These features they are adding make so much sense to me.
I hate purity for the sake of purity. I dogmatically dislike development dogma. Life is full of compromises. There is no pure Java langauge... Let Java grow! Let it become higher level. Heck, there are a few features from Ruby that I'd like to see Java adopt.
I am not saying that Java should one day be like Perl. I think things have to be added judiciously, but let the language evolve!
