342 karma · joined July 29, 2008
The one thing I did recently that made me happy and that I genuinely enjoyed, was writing a 20-or-so line script in Python that checked some file my wife was using at work. Basically it involved reading an excel spreadsheet and checking to make sure all the data was sane - a tediously manual process that was easily automated.
Ideally, I'd do just this. I'd leave my job, take a few months and do my own thing. The problem is that I'm not prepared to take that risk; I have a good job, it pays well, and it supports my family. If I walk away and succeed (where success >= the same amount I'm making now), awesome. If I fail, however, I've left a job I'm good at, and that I'm comfortable at.
Perhaps that's the crux of the issue right there. I don't want to take the risk of putting all my eggs in one basket, but I find it difficult to get inspired if I'm not fully invested. Thus, if given the option after a long day of work to either watch Top Chef with my wife or do something interesting in Python, Top Chef+Wife wins every time.
To use your examples: why learn Erlang? Well, if your concurrency needs are great enough, Erlang is a great fit! If not, maybe consider another language? You pick the best and most appropriate tool for the job. Sometimes you can nail something in using your shoe, but more often than not, the best tool is a hammer.
Why learn Ruby if you know Python? Perhaps you have a project that could be taken to market significantly faster if you use Rails? Perhaps you can use Django? It really _is_ a question of the right tool: and sometimes that tool is Ruby and sometimes it's Python and sometimes it's Java (never COBOL :)).
You could probably make a strong case for any language out there. But you should make sure you're choosing the right one for your task: square pegs and square holes.
Furthermore, and more on topic: Linus is a great coder, there's no doubt about that. But he's a terrible front-man. The response is unnecessarily inflammatory and is also appalingly arrogant.
C++ has its place. Even though I, personally, prefer C over C++, I think C++ could have even had a place in the Linux kernel. Particularly, I think the whole File System interface could have been simplified if it were written in C++ instead.
I'm really tired of the arguments of X language > Y language. Languages have different purposes. There are times when C++ makes sense, times when C makes sense, times when Perl makes sense and times when Python makes sense. It's time to stop evangelizing about our tools. Nobody argues that a hammer is better or worse than a screwdriver.
Knowing that Fog Creek is so close is tempting me to send in my resume... :)
Talk is cheap but life, sadly, isn't.
Very cool idea. :)