[tyingq]

"Programming languages should be choosen based on technical merits, rather than who is behind it."

Considering the motivations of the language owner is a valid concern. Many people, for example, jumped on to HHVM as a "faster PHP". Then it started branching away from PHP[1]. Predictable, if you considered Facebook's reasons for having it.

[1] https://hhvm.com/blog/2018/09/12/end-of-php-support-future-o...

[stochastic_monk]

What were Facebook’s reasons?

[gbear605]

I don’t know anything about HHVM, but plausibly the goal of it is “help Facebook” rather than “be a faster PHP,” and people who came for a faster PHP and are not Facebook are let down by it.

[tyingq]

Non-optional strong types is one example where it benefits Facebook, but likely isn't great for those hoping for a "faster PHP". The blog post makes it sound like HHVM will only support hack, and not PHP, sometime in the near future.