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Ask HN: Are there too many programming languages?

9 points by galenguyer 7 years ago · 13 comments


vortico 7 years ago

No, simply making a programming language does not make the field worse. It can only make it better. But if the question was rephrased "are there too many languages to learn in order to be competitive in the job market", than maybe. Competing standards is just a truth about this field and many other industries. Rust and Go, Typescript and Dart, Python and Ruby, Java and C#, etc. It is unknown which language will be more relevant in 20 years, so it's best to learn as many as you can. It's an easier task than it might sound.

gitgud 7 years ago

No, and it's not a bad thing either. Each one has strengths and weaknesses. You need constant innovation in different languages in order to evolve the art of programming.

sylvanhughes 7 years ago

What I think would be important is really determining what each language is essential for, and sticking to that. When it all goes to hell is when a language comes out with ways to try to outsmart the other, then confusion kicks in, and we have questions like this that show up on HN. An example would be when a language is not really object oriented, but is kind of object-oriented...

hguhghuff 7 years ago

No. In fact I don’t even think we’ve really got started

Software development is in its infancy and has a long way to go. New languages are in important part of that.

zzo38computer 7 years ago

Is good having many different program language for different purpose, as well as for different prefence because you might have different opinion to me. You do not have to use all of them!

segmondy 7 years ago

Nope, not enough.

kleer001 7 years ago

Too many for what? I don't understand the scope of your question.

cimmanom 7 years ago

What would be the difference between “enough” and “too many”?

  • yesenadam 7 years ago

    You never know what is enough unless you know what is more than enough. ...

    Enough! or Too much

    - William Blake, Proverbs of Hell

  • gamechangr 7 years ago

    Enough - I had enough to drink and then drove home.

    Too many - I had too many drinks and killed someone as I drove home.

    • cimmanom 7 years ago

      Sure (if you think there’s a non-trivial amount a person can drink and still drive safely). But as applied to programming languages?

mailslot 7 years ago

No.

DoreenMichele 7 years ago

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Betteridge%27s_law_of_headli...

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