> From: Mark Guzdial [mailto:guzdial at cc.gatech.edu]
> At 11:51 AM +1000 2/18/00, Mike Thomas wrote:
> >Why is it that there are so many non-mainstream computer language
> >users/lovers here?

It takes a certain mind-set to realise that 'popularity' and 'usefulness'
are orthogonal.  Most people are sheep; they follow the herd.  I think
you'll find very few followers on this list.

> That said, the more interesting question to me is: Why are there so 
> many people addicted to "mainstream" languages?  Why does everything 
> have to look like C?
[...]
> - Is it "it doesn't really matter, and I already know C"?  Most 
> professionals I've asked this question give me this response.

Another interesting concept is 'familiarity' vs. 'usefulness'.  Example: How
many people on this list type using a QWERTY (ok, ok, AZERTY and so on)
keyboard rather than Dvorak?  (I raise my hand here).  Why?  Because I
learned to type on one, and I can't afford the loss in productivity while I
familiarise myself with another layout.  Compare with other arguments about
short-term versus long-term losses --- I'm losing a small amount of
productivity each day because I can't afford the major one-time investment
to re-train.

(Argument woodpile add: log :-)

		- Peter