On 9/15/05, Phlip <phlipcpp / yahoo.com> wrote:
> Static typing is _wrong_, and the right alternative is linguistic support
> for _optional_ typing. 

Try building an operating system without static typing.  The point is
that you use the right tool for the job.  C# is a great language, and
the future is looking especially bright for it.  With the Mono
project, and a few other, .NET is a great platform to use as well. 
You can really do some neat things with it.

 
> Then when you retrofit a language design feature, instead of building it in
> from scratch, you can't use it to simplify everything. Even its syntax will
> suck.

Has every feature that is currently a part of Ruby been a part of Ruby
from the start?  I doubt it.  C#'s syntax is great for what it is used
for.
 
You should use the best tool for the job.  If the situation is one
where you are using several different languages, or any of the several
other advantages of using the .NET platform, use .NET / C#.  If the
situation is different, and you're implementing a micro-kernel, use C.
 If you're creating a web application, use Ruby with the Rails
Framework.

There is not now, nor will there ever be a 'one-size-fits-all'
language.  It's that simple.  You can't implement Ruby in Ruby, you
have to use C.  That's never going to change.