Pinderkent

Everyone following Haskell is well aware of Brian Hurt's recent article about Haskell. It raises a lot of interesting points, and is worthy of consideration. And much consideration and response there has been! I agree mostly with this response, which points out that Haskell doesn't have to appeal to all programmers.

More specifically, Haskell shouldn't be a language for everyone. Although it has academic roots, it has become a very powerful language for more practical uses. As with all powerful tools, it is best used in the hands of a seasoned professional who has devoted many years of study to its use and handling. In short, it is not a programming language for the rank and file of the development community. It is for those who have exceeded the mentality needed for more traditional or mainstream programming languages.

Of the many programmers I have worked with, I believe only a small handful of them could ever work effectively with Haskell. Part of that is just because it is so different. And this is what makes it unique and powerful. By not catering to what the typical Java or VB.NET programmer needs, Haskell has been able to capture the attention of those in the community who need better. Haskell's deep academic roots and its numerous ties to various advanced branches of mathematics have allowed it to transcend almost all other programming languages.

We shouldn't expect the typical developer to understand the terminology of Haskell. Much of it does come from the study of mathematics, something which is foreign to many developers. In a sense, it's of a more prestigious breed than many other programming languages. And we can't have it both ways. If Haskell is to appeal to a wider range of programmers, it will need to leave behind all that has made it so appealing to the select few masters who do use it effectively. This is not the thing to do to maintain the power of Haskell.