RE: Aaron Bartell's RPG/Java comparison -- JAVA400-L

But, coolness and flashyness is in the eye of the beholder.

To some, playing D&D is cool.  But to others, it's plain stupid.
To some, memorizing your favorite baseball teams stats is cool.  To others,
it's stupid.
To some... well, you get the drift.

Brad

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Fred Kulack [mailto:kulack@us.ibm.com]
> Sent: Wednesday, February 14, 2001 12:11 PM
> To: JAVA400-L@midrange.com
> Subject: RE: Aaron Bartell's RPG/Java comparison
> 
> 
> 
> On 02/14/2001 at 09:33:52 AM, owner-java400-l@midrange.com wrote:
> > Ahah!!!! so "flashy" IS one of the keys to what language 
> some chose to
> use.
> > It's a programming language, not tennis shoes.
> >
> > Define "flashy" as it applies to a programming language, 
> and explain how
> if
> > a language is flasy, why one would want/not want to use it.
> >
> > This is not directed at the original poster, but anyone who thinks
> > programming in a language because it's "flashy" is a good reason.
> 
> 
> Warning.
> I'm a complete Java biggot.
> I admit it. I have no problem with it.
> 
> <personal opinions>
> WHAT?!?! Of COURSE flash makes a difference!
> 
> Flashy is like being cool.
> You can't describe it, you just know. ;-)
> Its also largely driven off of what other people
> think.
> 
> The reason it makes a difference is because with enough
> flash, it drives real technical and business improvements.
> Its like, coming from the grass roots man... (ok, bad 60's reference
> finished)
> 
> - Flash drives people to look at and learn the language.
> 
> - The more people looking at and learning the language, the more
>   skills are available
> 
> - The more skills are available, the faster production and
>   time to market becomes.
> 
> - As long as I have legitimate technical skills,
>   I can get paid more knowing a flashy stuff.
> 
> - The more people looking at the language, the more improvements,
>   enhancements, standards, features, etc get put into the
>   language.
> 
> - Don't minimize 'coolness' as a legitimate cause for VERY
>   rapid technical progress.
>   A stereotype in my mind: many people I've seen interested
>   in Java because of its flash and coolness tend to be very open
>   to extending, expanding, and doing OTHER things with it.
>   These 'other things' end up DIRECTLY driving quality of the
>   language or things available through the language.
> 
> - Any time you have creative, energetic people who are
>   easily unsatisfied (I'd say these are pretty typical of
>   people who give in easily to flash and hype) together,
>   they change things for the better.
>   I.e. openness and ability to expand with regard to flash, cool,
>   neat factor can end up becoming HUGE technically.
> 
> Anyone who keeps standing still will simply get
> left behind in this environment (it may take a while,
> and the technical advantages they have at the beginning
> may be significant, and there are 'critical mass' issues)
> but, just the same, it will happen.
> 
> </personal opinions>
> 
> 
> "Do you believe that my being stronger or faster has anything
>  to do with my muscles in this place?" ... "Free your mind."
> Laurence Fishburne as Morpheus in 'The Matrix'.
> 
> Fred A. Kulack  -  AS/400e  Java and Java DB2 access, Jdbc, 
> JTA, etc...
> IBM in Rochester, MN  (Phone: 507.253.5982   T/L 553-5982)
> mailto:kulack@us.ibm.com   Personal: mailto:kulack@bresnanlink.net
> AOL Instant Messenger: Home:FKulack  Work:FKulackWrk
> 
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