One of the commenters of my last blog reminded me of yet another myth:

If you learned to code in the XXX dynamic language way you’d need to rely a lot less on your IDE.

And Joe Johnson wasn’t the first to say that to me.  🙂  Another tactic I can’t stand with the zealots in the dynamic language community (and any other religious communities I might add.)  Attack your criticizer’s insecurities.  This comment translates to, “Java has made you a sucky programmer, if you program in Ruby, you will no longer be a sucky programmer” Or, simply:  “Ruby will make you an UBER programmer”  or, even simpler “You are a sinner, you must be saved”.  This is an awesome way to promote your language.  Why?  Well, because most of us programmers are geeks.  We were laughed at in school for wanting to spend our free time copying game code from magazines.  Even beat up.  So, we are inherently insecure and eager to be accepted by any crowd.

The problem with this argument is, for me personally, what happens when I switch to Ruby and miss the productivity I had with my Java IDE?  Does this mean I’m a horrible programmer and still a loser?  You readers know how insecure I am.  So, I just can’t switch to Ruby.  When I fail at becoming the uber programmer I always wanted to be after switching to Ruby, my insecurities and closet-Rod-Johnson-loving, fragile ego will just shatter me and I will end up  crying myself to sleep every night.  Sorry no thanks.  I already had enough heartache watching the biggest choke in NFL history yesterday.  I can’t take anymore.  The reality is that I know I am a horrible programmer and switching to Ruby won’t change that fact.  At least if I stay with Java, others will have the tools to productively clean up the messes I leave behind.

Ruby jobs have grown 500%!

Many are still scared by the dot.com bubble burst.  Many were laid off at least once.  So, its only natural to prey on these types of insecurities as well.  The reality is, if you read the fine print, Ruby is still only a tiny percentage of the Java market.  Even if it continues at this growth rate it will be at least 3 years before it overtakes Java.  Which is fine for me as, about that time, I have to start looking for another job as, obviously, SpringSource will have put JBoss out of business by then.  I’m fine with that.  3 years is enough time for me to collect the rest of my stock and get my wife back to work to take care of my ultimately unemployed ass.

The non-programmers of the world need a simple language to code in

Beautiful!  You mean my 94 year old grandma can help me code?  The problem with this is that this leaves a huge mess to clean up after the fact.  That’s great for the $100-200/hour consultant out there cuz they can bill thousands of hours.  Sucks for the company paying the bills.