[Newbies] [semi-OT] (fwd) Re: What Killed Smalltalk?

[Bert Freudenberg]

On 18.11.2009, at 13:41, Steve Wessels wrote:
> 
> That's right.  Smalltalk hasn't died.  I am fortunate enough to be part of a team developing financial software for many years using Smalltalk.
> 
> People have predicted Smalltalk's death about as often as Apple's death.
> 
> I think comparisons between Smalltalk and Java have to take marketing into account.
> 
> Paying Smalltalk work is harder to find.  Here's an interesting twist.  Companies looking for skilled Object Oriented developers, if they understand what they need, will seek programmers with Smalltalk experience.
> 
> - Steve

To what extent do you think the following applies (in reverse) to Smalltalk?

"If you program in the most popular programming language, your skill in that particular language is a commodity. If you program only in the most popular programming language, you have made yourself a commodity. A commodity can only compete on location and price, and location doesn't really get you much on the Internet. This means that only people with a poor understanding of economics program in [the most popular programming language]."
(http://gilesbowkett.blogspot.com/2009/01/why-hacker-news-thinks-php-won.html)

- Bert -