Having ten dialects of the same language does not nessecarily improve anything at all. Just as having only one thing does not nessecatily improve anything. It really is a balancing act for example as far as human biology is concerned there is only about a one percent difference between any two given people on earth. If there was too little differentiation at the genetic level we would all suffer greater and greater genetic damage due to inbreeding and eventually cease to exist. To call me arrogant for pointing out that too much or too little difference (depending on the situation) is a bad thing shows that you don't know what you are talking about. The inability or human beings to focus on the things that the have in common has been the source of so much greif. Furthermore as far as computers go limiting things to a set of agreed upon standards is part of what allowed the desktop computer as we understand it to take off. If every manufacturer used their own standards people would not be able to easily replace parts and they would probably end up locked into one or two vendors. (the situation with laptops currently.) The vendor could also charge fairly high prices since they are the only ones who produce the hardware; however since we have an agreed upon standard for most hardware we have low prices and the buyer is more or less in control of his or her own machine rather than the vendors. Creating a common culture or language need not suppress diversity of culture and ways of thinking in the attempt to bridge the gaps between people and in the case of a programming language what can be done with the various languages. On 10/15/06, Rick DeNatale <rick.denatale / gmail.com> wrote: > On 10/15/06, Austin Ziegler <halostatue / gmail.com> wrote: > > > There are cultural differences; trying to make everything a monoculture > > is arrogant, ignorant, and ultimately stultifying. > > This whole discussion reminds me of the old joke: > > What do you call someone who speaks two languages? > Bilingual. > What do you call someone who speaks three languages? > Trilingual. > What do you call someone who speaks on language? > An American. > > You know, there are some things about French which I think we should > change English to use. > > Take this <<short word>> and his adjective following. Is it not > that we should put the adjective after his noun, like this <<word > short>>? Then the people french would be some people happier, when > they spoke some english! Not is that? > > It would seem to be a situation win-win, not is that? > > Il y'a beaucoup des langages, vivent les differences! > > -- > Rick DeNatale > > My blog on Ruby > http://talklikeaduck.denhaven2.com/ > >