average programmers (was: succinctness = power)

[Michael Vanier <address@hidden>]

> From: "Vladimir G. Ivanovic" <vladimir@acm.org>
> Cc: ll1-discuss@ai.mit.edu
> 
> "PG" == Paul Graham <pg@archub.org> writes:
> 
>   PG> And even if you like this sort of thing...
> 
> Not many programmers are as well-versed in programming language issues
> as most people on this list. For example, I am not. So, a language that
> caters to the top 10% of programmers is not a language that I could use.
> 
> I'd hate to see good ideas fade away because there just isn't a critcal
> mass of programmers using a language that embodies those ideas. Perhaps,
> then, the challenge is to make the good ideas accessible to the Great
> Unwashed Masses(tm).
> 
> --- Vladimir

Good luck with that.  All my experience seems to suggest that average
programmers are _incredibly_ slow to pick up on new programming paradigms.
For most people (not those on this list, of course), learning to think in a
new way (which is what good programming languages force you to do) is an
extremely painful experience.  I see this even with extremely bright 18-19
year olds who are very proficient with C when they try to learn scheme.  I
don't know; maybe they're just lazy or unmotivated, but it's surprising how
much resistance you get.  I'm not saying it's impossible (the PLT folks are
doing a fine job of making scheme more accessible), but it's an uphill
battle.  That's why I'm sympathetic to Paul G's idea of programming
languages by and for the Programming Language Cognoscenti(tm).

Mike