Choose a Programming Language and Stick with It | Hacker News Reader

Choose a Programming Language and Stick with It

thesumup.substack.com

3 pointsjrberendt4 comments

As I see it the professional programmer is willing to take on whatever language is necessary to do the job but doesn't switch languages just for the sake of "learning a new language" because frankly this guy

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alan_Turing

proved they are all equivalent anyway. The idea that you're going to be revolutionized by learning a new programming language belies ignorance of the fundamental principles of computer science.

I think nobody would term it as being "revolutionized". But like many others, I would definitely say that I improved and became a more knowledgeable programmer by learning languages that were different enough from what I am used to writing. Even if I ended up not using them.

Also I find the article's assumption weird that people pick up new languages just because they want to do a new project they feel the language would fit better with. In my experience that applies more to frameworks/technologies, but not to languages.

There is some value in learning a new language but I think beginners overvalue it.

If you know Python there isn't a lot of point in learning (say) Ruby or Javascript except for the fact that languages like that have specific advantages like there is a framework you really like in Ruby or Javascript lets you target the web browser.

Learning to script the GIMP with Guile isn't too different from scripting Word with Visual Basic for Applications except for the awkward APIs and syntax. To really get something special out of LISP you need to do something with macros and metaprogramming.

I find my learning centers around problems I encounter. For instance I have a hobby that centers around printing images and until I starting making anaglyph images with PIL that require color management to print properly so then I learned how to work with color management. Other projects dragged me into learning compiler techniques.

Oh this post resonates with me so much. Everytime I start a new project, I spend atleast a week figuring out which new tool/language/framework to use.

Almost always, in the end, I end up using the good old faithful and friendly PHP (Laravel).

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