showell30

I like Python too, and the current CS curriculum on Khan is mostly, if not completely, based on Python.

I can see the advantages of JavaScript over Pascal, Perl, Prolog, and Java. Did you ever try Python? What are your thoughts on Logo, Karel, etc.?

I don't think Javascript's availability in the browser should be a major driving concern. Browser-based REPLs and editors are getting better and better. Two examples: http://repl.it/ and http://cloud9ide.com/.

Just to clarify one thing, it's very unlikely that you'll take a 50% performance hit when moving from JS to CoffeeScript. That may be true for Dart as well--I don't know.

Also, since CoffeeScript transcompiles to JS, it will generally reap the benefits of future improvements to JS runtimes, packaging tools, etc.

Heh, you're framing the question in a way that is more likely to elicit positive CoffeeScript comments, but I'm happy to oblige.

In order to adopt any new language, you obviously need to eventually believe its benefits are greater than its hurdles.

CS had a few hurdles for me early in the process. I had to install it, and that was simple. Then I had to learn it, which was fairly easy. It helped me that I had a fairly strong foundation in Python, Ruby, and JS, and the subset of CS that I initially learned is largely a blend of those languages. The language is small and well-documented. (Hopefully we keep it small--there's a bit of creeping featuritis in the community.)

Debugging is the only ongoing hurdle. It's never been a big issue for me. Obviously, I try to write the code correctly in the first place, and CS's nice syntax helps me focus on writing correct logic by removing the need to deal with JS boilerplate code. When I still manage to write incorrect code, I use all the debugging tools that I would use to debug JS. Someday my ability to write large JS programs may atrophy, but I'll never forget how to read it or make simple modifications in the debugger.

Even if the hurdles of CS were relatively minor, it would be pointless to use CS if it gave me no benefits. For me the benefits of CS are its writability and readability. It's that simple.

I'm already sold on CS, but I could still suggest ways to minimize the hurdles. First, keep the language small and simple. Second, no matter how good the current docs are (and they are pretty good), continue to refine them. Finally, do everything possible on the CS side to facilitate debugging, which mostly comes down to line number support.

I 100% agree that the DOM API is a terrible situation. I don't agree that JS is pleasant. When you run a marathon, your legs ache, and that's the DOM API (and all the other concerns of web programming). JS is the little blister on your foot. It hurts too. CS is the vaseline on that little blister. Sure, you still have to run the marathon, and it's gonna suck. But at least the blister is no longer a problem, so you can focus on the bigger issues.

The author of the people-will-forget-JS-in-the-future premise is specifically referring to the future. CS specifically solves a present-day problem--ugly JS syntax.

How many people will be running IE6 in the year 2016?

Also, what is the desired end game here? Do we want software developers to have encyclopedic knowledge of browser quirks in 2021? How about 2026?