RIse and fall of languages in 2012

[Steven D'Aprano]

On Thu, 10 Jan 2013 12:42:49 -0700, Michael Torrie wrote:

>> And from the TIOBE Index, Python is steady at number 8:
>> 
>> http://www.tiobe.com/index.php/content/paperinfo/tpci/index.html
> 
> The TIOBE index is meaningless.  Since it's based on google searches,
> one could probably guess that any language that is awkward and difficult
> will require more searches to figure out how to use the thing.  Thus of
> course C is top!  Especially if ranked by sarcastic queries like, "C
> sucks," and "why does C suck so much."

If you have a problem with TIOBE's methodology, feel free to come up with 
your own. Or take it up with them.

I dispute that TIOBE measures difficulty of language. If it did, Malbolge 
would likely be at the top of the list. Yes, there are sarcastic queries 
asking "C sucks", but that's just measurement error: 21,200 hits for "C 
sucks" versus 9,900,000 for "C programming". It's not as if there is any 
language, not even Python, that is so easy to use that nobody needs to 
write about it.


> Javascript is doing much more than just "treading water."

How do you know? What's *your* methodology for determining the popularity 
of a language?

* "But everybody knows that Javascript is super popular!!!"

* "All my friends are using Javascript."

* "I'm a web developer, and I use Javascript for my day job."

* "I counted 14 job adverts on Monster.com for Javascript devs last week, 
what more evidence does anyone need?"

* "I googled for `What's the most popular language?` and found a blog 
that says it's Javascript, that's good enough for me."

* "I have a gut feeling."

If you are going to criticise TIOBE's methodology, and then make your own 
claims for language popularity, you really need to demonstrate that your 
methodology is better.


> Javascript
> may not be glamorous but it is *the* glue that makes the web run.

And web development is a tiny fraction of all software development.



-- 
Steven