[bsder]

> Could there be a hint here that programming-deity is either: a) imperitive at heart; or b) inordinately fond of garbage collection?

Or, perhaps, programming-devil is and we've all been tempted wrongly? :)

One problem with programming history is that it is all about compiling. And that is definitely the work of programming-devil.

People are trying to shake that off, but it's difficult. Programming languages advance one popular programming language at a time--and that progress is slow.