| The readability argument is overused and maybe misunderstood to me. An experienced programmer is supposed to know the language well as well as the API and frameworks. From my experience Java is quite verbose and the standard frameworks are among the most complex. It is typical for a clojure/scala/python program to require 1/2 or 1/3 the lines of codes than Java. And they require much less configuration files and annotations. How much time a developper spend to read his operating system code? How much time a developper spend to read the API implementation code of his language or even the framework ? No time because the code is great, work as expected and doesn't require to be read all the time. That's what a more expressive language provide. At greater set of standard language construct, API and frameworks that allow you to express the same in a much more concise way. This is much easier to read because the fundations are rock solid and the meaning of a function doesn't evolve over time, it is also nearly bug free. You reduce the accidental complexity. When you choose a less expressive language like Java, even with the most advenced frameworks you have much more unreliable custom code. You are in fact increasing the readability issue, not reducing it. Sure there the fact that many more developper master Java and the associated frameworks than say Scala or Clojure. But this also act as a filter. You can do the same thing with a team of 5 experienced clojure developpers than with 20-30 java dev. A part come from the language expressivity itself. A part is that it is much more likely to get bad developpers in Java that will mess your code and make you loose time. It is easy to find Java dev, a bit less to find great Java developpers. Another part is that the bigger the team, the more is lost in communication, meetings and politics than actually doing things. So that your choice ! Do you prefer 5 clojure dev, maybe paid 20-30% more or 30 java dev with 5 managers (paid 20-30% more) competiting to get budget and projects ? |