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Getting somewhat off topic, but from the article he's referencing:

>Top-notch functional programming

What exactly is it that makes people who have never done functional programming think javascript offers "top-notch" functional programming? It offers the bare minimum to be able to do functional programming, but that is a far cry from "top-notch".

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What exactly is it that makes people who have never done functional programming think javascript offers "top-notch" functional programming?

They've heard that JavaScript has first-class functions, which they've heard of. They've also heard that JavaScript is like Scheme, which they've also heard of.

Many functional programmers would say that "Functional Programming" is far more than just functions as first-class entities, and some would go so far as to say that you can't do proper FP in JavaScript at all.

There is plenty of room for debate over what the requirements are for doing "Functional Programming," but it is difficult to look at JavaScript and feel that it provides an excellent platform for top-notch functional programming.

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