Google Go: Real Companies Have Their Own Programming Language

[brad jones]

Microsoft has C#, IBM has REXX (and RPG, ECL, and others), Oracle has Sun, which has Java, but what does Google have? Looks like they feel they need to have a programming language of their own so they can be part of the club.

Google also isn't one to leave money on the table. They seem to have taken their Monopoly game way too seriously. Or, maybe they just spent too much time at McDonalds eating Big Macs and playing their Monopoly game. The popular phrase, "Do not pass Go, Do not collect $200" is just a step in a game. It isn't a directive to take over Go in order to get all the money!

With my goofy references out of the way, it should be obvious at this point that Google is presenting a new programming language dubbed Go. This is yet another C-based language proposing to make system programming easier. As stated in the Go Language FAQ, "Go is an attempt to combine the ease of programming of an interpreted, dynamically typed language with the efficiency and safety of a statically typed, compiled language."

Go is attempting to make programming easier. It is trying to reduce the number of concepts &mdash and exceptions to those concepts -- that a developer has to understand. It is trying to reduce type complexity by eliminating type hierarchies. It is trying to reduce code complexity by doing things such as eliminating forward declarations, header files, and such. It is also attempting to make networked and multicore computing easier.

It is always interesting to hear that a first-generation language is trying to simplify development. By the third or fourth generation, it is likely to be just as complicated as all the others. For example, things like pointer arithmetic, generics, exceptions, assertions, method overloading, and type inheritance all missing from Go. In time, as some of these are added, or as work-arounds are created, we'll see if Go continues to be simply or if evolves into just another C, C++, Java type of language. After all, these languages all started much simpler too....

So what do you think? Is a new C-based programming language really needed?



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[chris128]

So how is this going to be run? I assume it is going to require its own runtime like the CLR or something?
Reading the FAQ it seems like they have basically just answered every possible question/criticism with "that would make things too complicated"... I mean they even say that they will not have Exceptions, so I'm not quite sure how error handling is going to work. To me it just makes it sound like this language is going to be easy and simple but not very powerful - and if you want that then why not just use something like Small Basic (http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/devlabs/cc950524.aspx).

I guess there is no harm in them trying and I'll probably try it out when it is released but personally I am not expecting it to be of much use... I guess we will have to wait and see

[abhijit]

I see GO morphing into another java. Probably the right time too. If Oracle doesn't continue to take an interest in java development with it's recent Sun acquisition, GO is here to cater to you.

[chris128]

After reading more about it, I dont quite get what it is... I mean is it a web language like PHP or is it a desktop language like C - or does it do everything? :S

[Nightwalker83]

I see GO morphing into another java. Probably the right time too. If Oracle doesn't continue to take an interest in java development with it's recent Sun acquisition, GO is here to cater to you.

Reminds me of the Jabaco VB Clone

[leinad31]

So what do you think? Is a new C-based programming language really needed?
More...

No. Probably just another case of consultancy level experts creating yet another money making niche for themselves rather than helping improve tried and tested technology... think book revenues, training income, interviews, blog hits, fame, patents, support, etc. There really isn't any income on the language per se (think Sun+Java).

EDIT: post 7000

[RhinoBull]

So what do you think? Is a new C-based programming language really needed?

No, however... remember how may C++ compilers out there? Probably few dozens (free and not so).

Microsoft C++
Borland C++
HP C++
Digital Mars C++
IBM C++
Apple C++

Those are just to name the few. Who's benefited so far? We all did - when companies compete consumers win.
So I'd say lets wait and see what happens - if product is strong enough to compete then major players (at least MS and Sun) will be forced to improve their already very strong product line.

[Jenner]

meh...

Public Function Will_I_Like_It() As Boolean
      Return Not Go.IsACaseSensitiveLanguage()
End Function

[dilettante]

It looks like Yet Another Garbage Collected Language heavily based on C syntax rather than a competing C++ compiler. More of a competitor to Java and C# than to C or C++.