JavaScript: the Big Picture Divide

by Peter-Paul Koch (ppk)

Author of QuirksMode.org (for all your browser quirks)

Author of ppk on JavaScript

Social aspects of JavaScript programming

• Are there any?
• You bet!
• They cause the Big Divide in JavaScript programming that I'm worried about.
  (I could be wrong, though. I certainly hope so)

The Big Divide

• Web Developers
• vs.
• Application Developers
• (I'll conveniently ignore the in-betweens; they don't fit in my theory)

Web Developers

• Excellent knowledge of HTML and CSS
• Excellent knowledge of accessibility

but...

• No knowledge of application design
• Spaghetti coding

Application Developers

• Excellent knowledge of application design
• Structured coding

but...

• No accessibility knowledge
• Little HTML and CSS knowledge

Conclusion

• They should teach each other!
• But they don't.
• Why not?
• Because of social factors

Social factors - overview

• Different backgrounds
• A bit of history
• Hierarchy of programming languages (and guess which one is at the bottom)
• Consequences for JavaScript's status

Different backgrounds

• Web developers come from almost any background except for computing sciences
• Application developers generally have a formal computing science background
• Result: they have a different view on programming: happy-go-lucky vs. structured

History lesson 1

When Brendan Eich created JavaScript in 1995/6, he was ordered to

• call it JavaScript
• make it look like Java

History lesson 2

As a result

• JavaScript superficially resembles Java in syntax and name
• ... but is simpler to learn
• ... and is used for simpler effects
• ... in other words:
  JavaScript is a dumbed-down version of Java meant for interns, non-programmers and other intellectually challenged people

Hierarchy of programming languages

1. Java
2. ASP, PHP, Perl, Python, Ruby etc.
3. [ .. nothing .. ]
4. [ .. nothing .. ]
5. JavaScript

Example of hierarchy 1

Google Web Toolkit:

You write your front end in the Java programming language, and the GWT compiler converts your Java classes to browser-compliant JavaScript and HTML.

Is this a good idea? Regardless, it fits the hierarchy of programming languages

Example of hierarchy 2

... but where is the library that allows you to write JavaScript in Java ... ?

var newObject = createPublicStaticMainVoid();
newObject.inheritFrom(JavaClass);
newObject.convertToJavaObject();

Will it ever be written?

Of course not! (Don't be silly.)

The hierarchy in practice

• A software house specialized in Java needs to write an Ajax application.
• Expectation: they'll hire a top JavaScript programmer.
• Practice. They tell a senior Java programmer to go do it
• ... who in turn tells a junior or an intern to go do it
• ... who'll download a library and start to churn out code without really understanding the programming language he's working in.
• They'll never hire a JavaScript programmer to create a Java application, though.

JavaScript's status

As a result

• JavaScript is not worth a serious programmer's attention
• ... except during a hype
• ... but even then they demand tools that make JavaScript look like their favorite programming language (Java)

Imbalance

• Web developers generally understand that application developers have something to teach
• ... but the reverse is not always the case
  This application is so advanced that it's never going to be accessible, anyway

A question of time 1

Besides ...

• ... once the Ajax hype folds, application developers will flock back to their original languages
• ... will not stay around to teach us web developers
• ... so we'll start at zero when the next hype comes around

A question of time 2

Therefore ...

• I'll see you in 2011, when I'll be holding exactly the same presentation
• ... and will express exactly the same worries
• ... unless we change something
• ... now
• ... but what?

Thank you

What do YOU think?

• Am I right?
• Am I wrong?
• If I'm right, what are we going to do about it?
• Further discussion at my QuirksBlog entry; via www.quirksmode.org/blogs.shtml