Google, it's time – We want Scala for Android • Hacker News Board

Re: Google, it's time – We want Scala for Android

#11

Post by TeMPOraL » Mon, Aug 18, 2014, 1:45 PM UTC

Can we have a good Lisp for Android already?

Re: Google, it's time – We want Scala for Android

#12

Post by cdnsteve » Mon, Aug 18, 2014, 1:47 PM UTC

justplay wrote: post #3

My bet is for golang.

It's coming in 1.4 https://docs.google.com/document/d/1N3XyVkAP8nmWjASz8L_Ojjnj...

Re: Google, it's time – We want Scala for Android

#13

Post by broodbucket » Mon, Aug 18, 2014, 1:48 PM UTC

pinkyand wrote: post #2

I agree that Google should add more languages to android. And while Scala is a great language, it's very complex - so it won't benefit many of the less skilled users. A better language would be something with the simplicity and power of python, but with good performance.Groovy could be one such language.

Just because Scala has features that are tricky to get your head around if you're not familiar with functional programming, it doesn't mean it's complex to write software in. You can write Scala that's basically Java with less syntax if you want.

I think that's what's so great about Scala, Python and other languages that mix OO and functional elements; you don't have to throw away Java and pick up Haskell, you can start experimenting with other styles as you go.

Re: Google, it's time – We want Scala for Android

#14

Post by emidln » Mon, Aug 18, 2014, 1:49 PM UTC

TeMPOraL wrote: post #11

Can we have a good Lisp for Android already?

Clojure sorta runs on it. It has various issues, but is usable. It's nice having a repl into your phone.

Re: Google, it's time – We want Scala for Android

#15

Post by serge2k » Mon, Aug 18, 2014, 1:50 PM UTC

according to apple, swift uses ARC, not GC. https://developer.apple.com/library/prerelease/mac/documenta...

How does Scala solve any of the problems with Java?

Re: Google, it's time – We want Scala for Android

#16

Post by serge2k » Mon, Aug 18, 2014, 1:50 PM UTC

cdnsteve wrote: post #12

justplay wrote: post #3

My bet is for golang.

It's coming in 1.4 https://docs.google.com/document/d/1N3XyVkAP8nmWjASz8L_Ojjnj...

In their native SDK. Have fun writing JNI bindings.

They are doing it for games too, great.

Re: Google, it's time – We want Scala for Android

#17

Post by noss » Mon, Aug 18, 2014, 1:52 PM UTC

izacus wrote: post #8

justplay wrote: post #3

My bet is for golang.

Current design of Android makes any non-JVM language a rather illogical and problematic choice. Writing JNI bridges for everything and reboxing costs would be prohibitive.

Android's target machine is google's dalvik vm, and not the jvm.

Re: Google, it's time – We want Scala for Android

#18

Post by apetrovic » Mon, Aug 18, 2014, 1:52 PM UTC

Knowing that Google and JetBrains have a good cooperation (Android Studio will replace Eclipse plugin as a preferred way to develop apps for Android), I kinda-sorta expected Kotlin to be backed from Google as an official Android language on the latest I/O.

Re: Google, it's time – We want Scala for Android

#19

Post by TeeWEE » Mon, Aug 18, 2014, 1:52 PM UTC

Please not scala! I prefer to have clojure for android. Scala is too complex, to ugly, and tries todo too much. Its also to heavy for android (it needs tons of libs to run).

Re: Google, it's time – We want Scala for Android

#20

Post by colig » Mon, Aug 18, 2014, 1:53 PM UTC

Um, people have already been able to use Scala to make Android applications. Just about anything that doesn't require dynamically generated JVM bytecode can manage, difficult and error-prone as it is.

If we're talking about official support, then I'd rather Java 8 instead. And beefing up ART even more.