> More importantly, [languages like CoffeeScript] all fail by requiring that you be an expert in two languages.
Why does this mean they fail?
> learning CoffeeScript and its idiosyncrasies
Which idiosyncrasies?
> The problem is that many programmers are turned-off by the lax nature of JavaScript
Maybe true of Dart, not of CoffeeScript
> but I urge you to ask yourself whether a move to CoffeeScript is sign that you've given up on learning it properly?
It isn't.
> we rarely have problems caused by the very things that CoffeeScript aims to eliminate
CoffeeScript is generally more readable and concise than JavaScript. It's just more pleasant to work with. Does it solve any problems for a narrow definition of "problem"? Probably not, but who cares?
I've noticed that most people who don't like CoffeeScript simply have a negative gut feeling about it, but have never really tried it. Or are trying to prove that they're better at JavaScript than you are (see http://stdout.be/2011/08/23/macho-programming/). I don't mind that: everyone is free to choose his/her own tools, and if one of the hot new tools everybody else seems to be using just looks ugly or stupid to you, whatever. I probably make my own fair share of weird toolkit choices. But I don't try to rationalize them with arguments that don't make sense.
Why does this mean they fail?
> learning CoffeeScript and its idiosyncrasies
Which idiosyncrasies?
> The problem is that many programmers are turned-off by the lax nature of JavaScript
Maybe true of Dart, not of CoffeeScript
> but I urge you to ask yourself whether a move to CoffeeScript is sign that you've given up on learning it properly?
It isn't.
> we rarely have problems caused by the very things that CoffeeScript aims to eliminate
CoffeeScript is generally more readable and concise than JavaScript. It's just more pleasant to work with. Does it solve any problems for a narrow definition of "problem"? Probably not, but who cares?
I've noticed that most people who don't like CoffeeScript simply have a negative gut feeling about it, but have never really tried it. Or are trying to prove that they're better at JavaScript than you are (see http://stdout.be/2011/08/23/macho-programming/). I don't mind that: everyone is free to choose his/her own tools, and if one of the hot new tools everybody else seems to be using just looks ugly or stupid to you, whatever. I probably make my own fair share of weird toolkit choices. But I don't try to rationalize them with arguments that don't make sense.