[HappMacDonald]

No, JavaScript caught on because at the time it was the only game in town for writing web front-ends, and then people wanted it to run on the server side so that they could share code and training between front end and back end.

[hyperhello]

It's not enough to just be first. It would have been replaced by now if it wasn't fit for purpose. Otherwise we might as well not bother to critique anything.