zlacker

>>lumpa+(OP)
I don't want a community - I want a programming language. Preferably one that doesn't throw away billions of lines of existing code just because.

>>musica+ji1
There are countless dead programming languages without communities you can pick then.

>>doesnt+Ri1
Ruby and Perl are great examples of massively popular languages that withered because the language/platform outpaced the community.

If the first question you’re asking yourself looking at a code base is “what version is this/do I know this version” then that language is not facilitating you.

The successful languages are ones where “the community” prioritises backward compatibility. Java, C, Python have backward compatibility spanning decades. There’s a few discontinuities (lambdas in Java 8, Python 3, C++) but in most cases there’s a clear mapping back to the original. Python 3 is an exception to this but the migration window was something like 15 years…

Busy engineers, scientists and academics have little interest in keeping up to date with language features. A computer and a programming language are a tool for a job and the source code is just an intermediate artifact. These are your “community”, and the stakeholders in your success.

>>rusk+Tj1
How have they withered? Does every programming language have to compete for world domination via cancerous growth? I thought that only applied to VC backed startups and public companies if the startups survive...

>>nottor+wq1
They’re not actively used in any circles I move in. The fact that your back is up suggests you have something invested in these antiquated niche tools.

>>rusk+Vr1
Seriously? I tried Perl only once ever in my life time and I've never done Ruby.

Doesn't mean I have to deny them the right to exist because they don't have a "community*".

* more like a religion for some programming languages.