Invisible <voi### [at] devnull> wrote:
> Holy Wars. Computer nerds seem to be having them all the time.

> programming languages? And text editors. I don't even need to tell you
> the crazy words that have been spoken about mere text editors.

That's because you're fool enough to try to compare an OS like emacs to a "mere
text editor" like notepad. ;)

> Basically what most of these arguments boil down to is "my favourite
> tool for X is the best - and you should all agree with me".

While I agree that most think that way based solely on personal taste, some do
take a tool as favorite based on more rational arguments and personal
experience.  That is, having thoroughly played around with a lot of tools, are
able to reason on objective terms why one of them is their favorite:  this
offers more, got a nice interface etc.

I've seen people throwing at me that I hate Windows because I'm a Linux guy, but
what they don't grasp is that I'm a Linux guy precisely because I've
experimented with both tools and Linux scored better with me.  I was a
DOS/Windows guys far before Linux showed up, but if it didn't, I'd probably dump
Microsoft in favor of BeOS or something...

> whatever tool they prefer, and if there isn't an option, why argue about
> it? It's just a tool.

Besides for the fun of it (yes, trolling can be fun), it also shows a big deal
of fear.  I mean, someguy devotes his whole professional life specializing in a
single tool and then either the market is changing in favor of another tool or
all the new guys begin showting newToolX is much better, how do you think the
old fart should react?

> 1. A programming language is a tool. You use it to write programs with.

you fool!  According to the Sapir-Whorf hypothesis, languages influence thought.
 Mediocre language, mediocre thought.  Poetical language, poetical thought.  My
language is not just better than yours, it's also much more aesthetically
pleasing!  bwahahahaha

> For example, take BASIC. The 1980s was a decade of 8-bit home computers
> running BASIC. It's a great language for non-experts trying to piece
> together simple programs. But no sane person will seriously suggest that
> BASIC is any match for the likes of C, C++, Java, Lisp, Erlang... I
> mean, come *on*! It has a global namespace, it has 3 data types (and you
> can't add new ones), hell it doesn't even support recursion! Exception
> handling? What exception handling?

That's 80's BASIC.  You do know some of the guys behind Haskell were behind
Basic.Net?  see:

http://research.microsoft.com/~emeijer/Papers/ICFP06.pdf

> 3. The majority of computer programmers - *especially* the vocal ones
> who join in Holy Wars - write computer programs out of passion, not
> necessity. Writing computer programs is difficult and frustrating.

It's difficult and frustrating because you're using the wrong language (for the
job).  And with the wrong text editor!!  bwahahahaha

> Determining which programming language is superior requires real insight
> and intelligence. And if you fail to see why one language is better than
> another, basically that means that YOU'RE STUPID.

or perhaps just ignorant of the alternatives...

> depends on what you're trying to do with it. And yet people still want
> one to be the "winner". People still want to "win" arguments.

I don't.  I only do it for the fun... :)

> Take me, for example. I know that Haskell is not the best solution for
> all situations. For example, while it's a fantastic language, the
> library support is patchy at best, it's not brilliantly integrated with
> Windows

Why should it be integrated with Windows?  That's the job of a compatibility
library.

> Now personally, I now try to avoid claiming that Haskell is the best at
> everything. I know it isn't. I point out what's bad about Haskell as
> well as what's good. Unfortunately, it doesn't matter what I say. Nobody
> will ever be interested in Haskell, and that makes me very sad. It makes
> me feel like "I lost". Which is silly - *I* still have Haskell, *I* can
> still use it in whatever way I want. But it's upsetting to me that I
> lost the argument, and nobody else sees how awesome Haskell is.

Well, I see how awesome Haskell is. Only problem is that LISP IS SO MUCH MORE
AWESOME AND TOTALLY PWNS IT, YOU FOOL!

bwahahahahah

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