From: James Britt <james_b@...>
Date: 2005-09-19T14:18:58+09:00
Subject: Re: Language recommendations from ruby persons....

Greg Lorriman wrote:
>>The intersection of practical and interesting may be quite small.
> 
> 
> ....and therefore more difficult to find. And so one asks questions....

Have you tried the pragprog list?  I believe many list members gather 
'round for Language of the Year study sessions.  And there have been 
many discussions exactly like this one.
> 
> 
>>But if you are really looking for something that helps you think in a 
>>different direction, yet isn't merely academic or weird-for-weirdness 
>>sake, try a functional language such as Haskell.
> 
> 
> Is this recommendation from experience? I am really looking for informed
> opinions, particularly as enjoyment of a language tends not to be vicarious.

It is based on comments I've read from others in my own perusal for a 
Next Language.

Still, even if I *had* learned Haskell, you'd be getting an opinion from 
someone you've never met and know next to nothing about, and whose ideas 
of enjoyment may be peculiar.

If you get 10 people saying, "I've not used it but I've heard good 
things", that may be more valuable than one person swearing by it from 
personal use.

After all, I say nice things about Visual Basic.


> ... 
> 
>>Lisp, Haskell, and Ocaml are floating in the back of my own mind as 
>>candidates for next language to learn.  Lisp has the upper hand so far, 
>>because, well, it's *Lisp*.
> 
> 
> That does seem like a rather self-referential reason. I would probably not
> choose Lisp on this particular recommendation.

Still, A recursive recommendation for Lisp does seem appropriate.

> 
> 
>>And there are lots of good, free resources for it.
> 
> 
> Also for many other languages.

The best idea may be to avail yourself of some of those resources and 
just try stuff out.   Pick stuff at random.



James