Path: csiph.com!newsfeed.hal-mli.net!feeder3.hal-mli.net!newsfeed.hal-mli.net!feeder1.hal-mli.net!npeer01.iad.highwinds-media.com!news.highwinds-media.com!feed-me.highwinds-media.com!nx01.iad01.newshosting.com!newshosting.com!news-out.readnews.com!news-xxxfer.readnews.com!news.misty.com!news.iecc.com!nerds-end From: Rui Maciel Newsgroups: comp.compilers Subject: Have we reached the asymptotic plateau of innovation in programming language design? Date: Wed, 07 Mar 2012 13:52:47 +0000 Organization: Aioe.org NNTP Server Lines: 34 Sender: news@iecc.com Approved: comp.compilers@iecc.com Message-ID: <12-03-012@comp.compilers> NNTP-Posting-Host: news.iecc.com X-Trace: leila.iecc.com 1331179196 5368 64.57.183.58 (8 Mar 2012 03:59:56 GMT) X-Complaints-To: abuse@iecc.com NNTP-Posting-Date: Thu, 8 Mar 2012 03:59:56 +0000 (UTC) Keywords: design, question, comment Posted-Date: 07 Mar 2012 22:59:56 EST X-submission-address: compilers@iecc.com X-moderator-address: compilers-request@iecc.com X-FAQ-and-archives: http://compilers.iecc.com X-Received-Bytes: 2646 Xref: csiph.com comp.compilers:479 While reading slashdot, I've stumbled on the following blog entry: Research in Programming Languages Is there still research to be done in Programming Languages? http://tagide.com/blog/2012/03/research-in-programming-languages/ Quotes: - But the truth of the matter is that ever since I finished my Ph.D. in the late 90s, and especially since I joined the ranks of Academia, I have been having a hard time convincing myself that research in PLs is a worthy endeavor. - And herebs the first itchy point: there appears to be no correlation between the success of a programming language and its emergence in the form of someonebs doctoral or post-doctoral work. This bothers me a lot, as an academic. It appears that deep thoughts, consistency, rigor and all other things we value as scientists arenbt that important for mass adoption of programming languages. - And, finally, all of these new languages, even when created over a week as someone's pet project, sit on the shoulders of all things that existed before. This leads me to the second itch: one striking commonality in all modern programming languages, especially the popular ones, is how little innovation there is in them! - So one pertinent question is: given that not much seems to have emerged since 1979 (that's 30+ years!), is there still anything to innovate in programming languages? Or have we reached the asymptotic plateau of innovation in this area? So, what are your views on this subject? Rui Maciel [Personally, I'd say there's been precious little new in programming languages since Simula gave us OOP in the late 1960s. In your responses, please remember this is comp.compilers, not comp.semicolon-placement.flame. -John]