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From: Jeff Kotula <jkotula@stratasys.com>
Subject: Re: The great Java showcase (re: 2nd historic mistake)
Date: 1997/09/02
Message-ID: <340C0D47.AF44474B@stratasys.com>#1/1
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 comp.object,comp.software-eng,comp.lang.ada,comp.lang.eiffel,comp.lang.java.tech,comp.lang.c++
Date: 1997-09-02T00:00:00+00:00
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Robert Dewar wrote:

> Paul says
>
> <<Technical superiority is not just a matter of having gee-whiz
> features,
> it is a matter of doing a better job.>>
>
> Sure, but who judges what is a better job. The answer is that the only
>
> person who can judge is the consumer.

[snip]

This is too simplistic. Suppose a company markets and sells a particular

software product for X dollars. Supporting that product must, minimally,

cost less than X. To have a decent profit margin it has to cost way less

than X.

My point is that as a tool, programming languages must be effective
in 1) creating subjectively "good" products, and 2) creating them so
as to be maintainable and supportable at a (objectively) "low" cost.
Technical superiority is related to the latter.

Now, take a recursive step backward and realize that languages are
themselves marketed products and that's where the real confusion
comes from...