The Opa Framework for Javascript

Apologies if this comes across as as a bit off topic at first, but I typically think of 2 types of software developers: tinkerers and makers (this is simplistic thinking, I know, but go with me here...nothing derogatory is meant!).

Tinkerers like to fiddle, muck around and generally like the internals. They do make awesome stuff, though they like the tools just as much as they like the end product. Errors on install or obscure messages are just another reason to dive deep.

Makers are people that like to make things; products and such. They tend to care less about the tools and more about the product they are working on. Errors on install or obscure messages are hurdles that get in the way of building the products.

I'm a maker. Right now I feel the current state of Node and JS is not a great place for makers. Ruby and Python (as examples) are great.

I would like to use Node and JS, though I feel that there is just too much choice right now with no real "winner" and no clear "one way to rule them all".

Perhaps I'm wrong, and I would love to get educated on this b/c reading the tea leaves would suggest that JS/Node can be huge in about 3-5 years, maybe even mainstream. And as a person who likes to be at the forefront of technology, I would love to spend some time with JS/Node right now...but it just seems crazy. As I said, so much choice, no clear direction, too many ways of doing things.

So, the question would be this: if someone like me wants to get started, where do I start? Which web framework should I be using? Coffescript? Deployment?

I've seen Meteor and am intrigued (the fact that the setup instructions don't work on Ubuntu is a HUGE minus, btw...gah! another hurdle).

General thoughts? Suggestions?

I've used Opa sporadically since before the new JS syntax/backend. It's just flat out fun to program with, as the feedback loop is so tight. The only complaint I had was the compiler was a bit ... French -- liable to take an extended lunch break just when you ask it to do some work. It might be faster now. Use a structural type system gives the language a very different feel to other statically typed systems.

tl;dr: Give Opa a try. It's fun and enlightening.

I think I've spotted a gap in the market. I'm going to write a language that compiles into VBScript...

Wt is also a framework enabling you to develop web applications without the need to manage client-server communications. It's available as a C++ version and a java version ( http://www.webtoolkit.eu/jwt ) usable with any JVM language (ie including Jruby, Groovy, Jython...).

It has the advantage (compared to Opa) that you can use any database you want.

See http://www.webtoolkit.eu , really worth a try!

To your prediction: Nope, Opa is an old thing already. Maybe it was a interesting project when they compiled to native code, but now it's just another way to use node.js.

I would have used it 2 years ago but there seemed to be no easy way to use HTML5 with it. It was fix with XHTML 1.1.