Gerhard Fiedler wrote: > It is funny you should say so. This reminded me of our conversation > about the (collectively incredibly inefficient) state of affairs WRT > abandoning imperial units in mechanics in the USA and moving towards > metric units. I see a very obvious analogy between C and imperial > units: both have better alternatives, but both have a critical mass > created by more or less arbitrary historic events, and both create, > so to speak, "local optimums" that people stay in without moving to a > better "local optimum". Geesh Gerhard, you just like arguing, don't you? > In that conversation about moving to metric you strongly defended the > individual's decision to stay in the "local optimum" they found once > -- it seems just as strongly as you regret their same decision in the > case of C. I never said it was good that we were using the imperial system. I was only trying to explain why individuals don't see the need to switch to metric for all things, mostly as a defense because you were basically saying they were stupid for not switching. I agree everyone would be better off if everyone used a common system. However, there are still good reasons for individuals not to switch, and they are not stupid for not immediately switching. This is the part you never seemed to get. In any case, this is a silly analogy. Switching computer languages is relatively easy. I first learned Basic, then the binary codes of a glorified calculator, then Fortran, then a short survey of several languages including Algol, Lisp, and Snobol, then HP Pascal (which sucked), then Apollo Pascal (which was a great language), then C, then a little Java, and a very little JavaScript. I think the real reasons C is so popular are: 1 - There was a whole generation of programmers that learned C as their first language, got used to it, got used to writing code irresponsibly as a result, and now anything else feels like it would be less comfortable and more restrictive. They overlook the many bad things because they are used to them and their consequences are built into the work flow so that they don't notice them and largely don't realize how much better things could be. 2 - Most programmers are bad and will gladly be irresponsible when given the chance. Such people actually like C because it doesn't get in their way as they see it. 3 - Anything else is not what people known, so they naturally rebell against the alternatives without really understanding them. Don't underestimate this powerful force of human nature. People feel threatened by stuff they don't know. ******************************************************************** Embed Inc, Littleton Massachusetts, http://www.embedinc.com/products (978) 742-9014. Gold level PIC consultants since 2000. -- http://www.piclist.com PIC/SX FAQ & list archive View/change your membership options at http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/piclist