Something I've found to be incredibly enlightening is trying to write my
own language.  It helps you learn *why* certain languages have certain
syntax, helps you understand language memory managements (like Ruby's
GC), and so on.  Plus it lets you experimental with a language that
suite's your taste.

Hell, be daring, and write your own language in a new language (i.e., if
you've never touched TCL, write an OO-language interpreter with fun
syntax in TCL).  Granted, that might burn you right out.  ^,^

On Wed, 2002-08-21 at 10:52, William Djaja Tjokroaminata wrote:
> To Andrew Hunt and David Thomas:
> 
> I think in the book "The Pragmatic Programmer", one of the advices is to
> learn a new language at least once a year.  Probably for the year 2001 it
> was Ruby.  Now we are already in August 2002.  Is there any language
> candidate for this year?
> 
> I am sorry, it is not my intention to have a discussion on defending
> Ruby.  The intention is to gather information on what other good new
> languages out there are worthy to learn, after we know Ruby (hopefully the
> language can be considered to be "better" than Ruby in some specific
> areas, or just simply has totally different approach; hopefully also we
> will not have to consider Lisp-like programming languages).
> 
> Regards,
> 
> Bill