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Imba: A new programming language for web apps

imba.io

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Re: Imba: A new programming language for web apps

#51
post #15

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"People making programming languages are much better suited by targeting non-programmers: existing devs are often simply not their audience." In this case I'd argue it would be better for non-programmers to learn JavaScript before a language which compiles to it.

I get a little confused when people say they "compile" x scripting language into y scripting language.

What would you call it other than "compiling"?

Re: Imba: A new programming language for web apps

#52
post #29

Yay! Another new programming language for hipsters! Another pointless technology to learn! For god sakes, use js &co, clojure, or elm. Nothing else is worth it.

You know your examples were/are considered new languages at one point, right?

yeah, but I feel they have a reason to exist. Clojure exists because it has interesting ideas about immutability, and is a lisp. Elm exists because FP. This exists because... Why? They thought we needed a new syntax for JSX? They thought we needed another language that was kind of like coffescript, but different in subtle ways? I don't know, and I can't see what this is bringing to the table.

Re: Imba: A new programming language for web apps

#58
post #42

Earlier quoted context omitted.

These are devs who would rather build tools to build a web app than to build a web app. Different people have different itches. We don't have to consume what they produce. Just have to read about it on HN.

Well and fine, but those tools then need to be maintained forever , and they become yet another tool in the stack for developers who come on board to a company which has adopted them. It's easier and quicker to learn a new library like React, or even a new DSL like JSX, than a new language.

I don't disagree with you.

Re: Imba: A new programming language for web apps

#59
post #5

To all people who reply negatively to this: don't you guys actually like learning new languages? Why?

I only learn something new if I have a reason to. I may learn PHP in the near future because my company is migrating to Magento from Rails.

I actively try to avoid learning when pursuing side projects. With side projects, the idea is to explore a domain rather than tools. My current side project, a productivity / accounting app, requires no new knowledge, and I want to keep it that way.

I am very skeptical that, after a certain level of proficiency, that significant time spent in other programming paradigms makes you better all around. I went through HtDP several years ago, and thought it was wonderful, but I don't program that way now. I do not TDD everything, or even most things, even though I know how to do it and why you would want to. You take the best parts of everything you come across, and throw away what you don't like.

The longer I code, the more I default to the tried-and-true. Everything else just seems counter-productive.

Re: Imba: A new programming language for web apps

#60
post #5

To all people who reply negatively to this: don't you guys actually like learning new languages? Why?

I like learning new languages that are of VALUE to learn: to quote Alan Perlis: " A language that doesn't affect the way you think about programming, is not worth knowing."

Imba doesn't seem to do anything new, just add some new syntax that seems similar to coffeescript.

If you want to make a new language, good on you, but don't trumpet it as the next big thing, that's a revolution, unless it's doing something new, or at least has a different idea about how to do it. Failing all that, at least have it be good for getting stuff done fast. This is the "perl approach."

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