MetalOne wrote:

[snip]
> 
> I want a language that is as fast as "C" or nearly so, that has a
> great GUI library and a great socket library that runs on Win32,
> Linux, FreeBSD, and OS/X.
> I want the language to be as easy to program in as Ruby.
> Such a language does not exist and I have looked hard.
> 
> I think "C" and "C++" are used so much because every other language
> has flaws when it comes to speed or library support.
> 
> Other possible alternatives are LISP/Haskell/Ocaml.
[snip]
> 
> Haskell has a cleaner syntax than Ocaml.  Haskell implementations are
[snip]
> 
> LISP.  I know for many people LISP is the world's greatest language.
> LISP essentially has no syntax.  Some people think this is one of
> LISPs greatest features.  I personally despise it, for this reason.
> 
> LISP/Haskell/Ocaml all make a person think recursively to solve all
> problems.  I don't think this is natural.  It is natural for some
> problems, but not all.
> 
> Java, C#, and Visual Basic all fall into the same category for me.
[snip]
> 
> Most all other languages are too experimental at this point.
> 
> Well, those are the choices in a nutshell.  So, it depends upon what
> you need to get done and if that task is doable in the sandbox of
> tools available to the language and if the speed requirements can be
> handled by the language.
> 
[snip]

MetalOne,

I appreciated your synopsis.  But you didn't mention Smalltalk.  I'm curious
why.