[Core]

I've recently stumbled across this article:
http://java.dzone.co...nal-programming

Unlike TIOBE, this statistical information shows the popularity of certain languages when working inside a company, also reflecting the number of open job positions on specific languages. In some terms, it is somewhat similar to what TIOBE shows, but there are some major differences (for example, the VB popularity index).

What's your opinion on this? Do you feel like such indexes can affect your ultimate programming language choices?

[xclite]

I use whatever language is asked of me (although I actively avoid C++ projects).

[macosxnerd101]

Java and JVM languages overall are a solid choice b/c of the cross-platform compatibility. I don't know about standard Java desktop applications anymore, but Java/Android is huge in the mobile world, and Java EE remains a solid choice for Enterprise-grade applications. Java ME is quite frankly outdated and hasn't kept up. If you are looking to do mobile work, Android or Objective-C for the iPhone are the ways to go. Objective-C will grow in popularity over the next 10 years if Apple learns from their mistakes about the iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, etc. If Apple goes bankrupt, I'd wager that Objective-C will lose market share rapidly over the years following or someone will buy the rights to the above Apple technologies and continue to produce them.

I'm not surprised to see growth from C#, though I was a little surprised to see VB declining in popularity. I don't work with Microsoft languages right now (not that I would object if I had more time), so I can't really speak to that much more.

[Raynes]

Not really. I don't currently write code for a living. Since I'm not looking for a job, and don't intend to look for a job in the near or almost-distant future, I typically just learn and use languages that I really love. Ones that can keep me excited about what I do.

I'm honestly not sure that I'd ever take a job that forced me to use VB or Java. If I ever wanted a serious job programming, I'd probably work with some contacts and try to get myself into a position at a Clojure-based company.

Of course, I'd certainly take Ruby jobs at some point. There are lots of languages I could tolerate working with. This guy just didn't list any of them.

[xclite]

I would love to find a job where they want me to use a functional language. In my geographical area (DoD heavy), it's mostly OO/procedural C/C++/Java/Ada stuff.

[Raynes]

Yeah, it's pretty sparse right now. I just don't think I could have fun working in really any of the languages he mentioned. If I get bored or don't enjoy myself, I don't think I'm going to be working nearly as hard as I could, so I doubt I'd last long in such a position. :\

[xclite]

Java isn't bad to work in, since it doesn't have many gotchas or tricks. Tons of boilerplate though, which annoys me.

[Raynes]

It's the verbosity and boilerplate that I doubt I could handle. And the fact that (at least until Java 7, I suppose) lacks closures and anonymous functions is a real dreamkiller.

EDIT: Also, I'm quite partial to REPLs, and (I think) the only language he mentioned that has one is Perl. I could manage without an REPL, but I'm very attached to them. <3

This post has been edited by Raynes: 05 August 2010 - 10:48 AM

[baavgai]

Neither of the top links points to the actual service used...

Just for yucks, here's a functional language run down.

Scheme is doing better than expected, take it out for this.

Now, just for a sanity check, pop java back in there.

Um, yeah, sorry about that, functional programming dudes.

This post has been edited by baavgai: 05 August 2010 - 10:59 AM

[xclite]

I love how much work it is to open a freaking file for reading in Java. Or to parse it. Ug.

[macosxnerd101]

Custom GUI stuff sucks even more, especially with JTable, JList, and JTree.

@Raynes: Anonymous functions are fun in Erlang.

[Raynes]

baavgai, on 05 August 2010 - 09:58 AM, said:

Neither of the top links points to the actual service used...

Just for yucks, here's a functional language run down.

Scheme is doing better than expected, take it out for this.

Now, just for a sanity check, pop java back in there.

Um, yeah, sorry about that, functional programming dudes.

It's okay. I certainly wasn't denying the lack of available job offers for newer functional languages. <3

EDIT: Well, even not-so-newer languages. Python /does/ offer some level of functional goodness, so I didn't want to include that. I guess I should have said "..available job offers for predominately functional languages."

EDIT2: Well, shit. Even that doesn't cover them all. Scala isn't a "predominately functional language".

Fuck it. "Those languages."

This post has been edited by Raynes: 05 August 2010 - 11:23 AM

[macosxnerd101]

Raynes, I can't believe you missed an FP joke.

[baavgai]

macosxnerd101, on 05 August 2010 - 12:53 PM, said:

Raynes, I can't believe you missed an FP joke.

It was more an Erlang joke. I actually got it. Oh, crap, I'm being enticed to the dark side. Just started playing with CouchDB today, too.

[macosxnerd101]

So am I. I'm going to ask the Center Chairman if she can request some FP tools for our school laptops for next year. My BC Calculus and Discrete teacher would go nuts over it and completely incorporate them in class, as he's been wanting to pick up FP as well.