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Comment by xd | Hacker News Reader

This is utter tripe. It goes from saying don't use javascript to use a high level language that translates down to javascript.

His main example of why javascript isn't suitable is an anecdote about a badly developed code base written in javascript. Seriously?

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There's no contradiction in saying don't use javascript, use something that compiles to javascript. It's exactly the same as saying don't use C, use something that translates to C (i.e. C++ once). As for his example being anecdotal, almost all code snippets posted in a blog post can be attacked for that, and while it might be valid, it is pretty much impossible for the writer to give _any_ negative example without it being dismissed as "bad code is bad code" etc.

When combined with the assertion that "JS is the browser's assembly language", one can't quite say it's identical, because C isn't the OS's assembly language. Assembly language is.

Don't write programs in assembly. Use a high level language that translates down to assembly.

Yknow, most every language ever.

If you had read the article, you'd see that the author made this comparison.

Except Javascript isn't assembly, no matter how much the author would like to think so. It's a reasonably well featured, multi-paradigm high-level language.

...but it's got warts and gotchas which will catch out even experienced coders. It does make sense to use a language without the same problems which you know is guaranteed to generate "good" JS.

Woosh...that is the sound of the point flying over your head.

you might consider going back to slashdot. i didn't miss his point at all, try reading my comment again, but this time, try to read the statement "but Javascript isn't assembly" a little less literally.

It's a false analogy. Javascript is just as high level as Java or CoffeeScript.

Sure, it's the "assembly language of the web," but Javascript certainly cannot be compared to assembly language in this way.

It really is a lower-level language than Java or CoffeeScript - it lacks advanced type constructs, much like C.

Hear hear. He does have a point about that well known low level language 'javaScript'. Must be similar to the high level one of the same name. Also he makes the valid point that bad developers make for a bad project, what a genius. judging by the comments on the actual blog he must be the second coming of Christ.

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