[6ren]

> generic information manipulation code... requires the capability to generically access/modify/add properties by name/key, ... etc

Java reflection does much of this. Though you can't add properties.

He's against types, and only values them for performance. Yet, the relational algebra that he admires uses types (the definitions of tables - "schema"). Although they're flexible types, in that you can change schema definitions (schema are themselves tables). And you can invent new schema willy nilly (e.g. result of a join). They are types in that each row (or instance) in a table has a value for each column in the table.

The relational algebra is one of the most successful and enduring innovations in computer science - and it also has a solid mathematical basis. It's dynamic types may be a good guide to the value of types other than for performance.