I recently had the pleasure of checking out the NodeUp podcasts. A large portion of the first episode is dedicated to enforcing the notion that Node is a new language, and that it will take decades to catch up to the maturity that Python and Perl provide as platforms.
Opening up a subprocess, or having an `os` module which works in Windows, for example, all seemed like daunting tasks that took other languages decades to perfect.
While I'm sure Node can catch up quickly, partly because Javascript is fast to write, and partly because of the trailblazing that other languages have already done (among other reasons, I'm sure), I can't help but think that the loss of the original author's momentum behind the project will cause Node to suffer.
Python has had Guido as the BDFL for over 20 years. Larry Wall is firmly entrenched in the church of Perl. Having one voice shepherding the direction of the language has had tremendous influence on both languages. I can't help but think that node.js is in a similar situation.
Not really. Node.js isn't a language that needs direction; ECMAScript is a separate standard with its own drivers. Node isn't even an implementation of a language, and V8 has its own community directing it.
Node is a small core with pretty simple principles. The rest (the most important part, I'd argue) is a thriving third-party community, and that's something the loss of any single developer won't change.
I'd take require('child_process') over python's subprocess any day.
This is a google groups quirk.
If you are logged into a google account it will prompt you. If you sign out of your google accounts then you can read it without being logged in.
Node.js is in great hands with Isaac. Unlike many other web/network platforms node doesn't go around gobbling up everything into core. The community behind node is stronger and contributes more than I've seen before. Focusing on that third party module system experience is a good move to further grow the community, one that Isaac has been heading for a while.
While many people will see the BDFL stepping down from a project as a bad sign, I think its the opposite. It has a dedicated and invested company behind it (Joyent), it's core doesn't try to do too much, it has legs of its own strong enough and it's community fault tolerant enough to grow quickly without him.
Ryan spawned a project that grew a community that in the long run isn't reliant on him, a rare achievement of platform/language creators.
Edit: I don't know of too many prominent JavaScript programmers who prefer not to use semicolons. http://dailyjs.com/2012/01/12/style/
Note: I actually rather like Matador. I just find this particular style--high density, no semicolons--much harder on my eyes. I'm sure many others can read it better than I can, however.
positive: Without the originator in place perhaps a more formal product infrastructure can be put in place by Joyent. I'm thinking in particular about a structure for the documentation of primary third party modules like Connect and Express. At present the readme's and examples on Git, Sencha, and ExpressJs are all done by the original module developers. They're good but like most documentation done by the original developers make too many assumptions about what readers know. I don't mean to be too critical but if users are going to Stackoverflow for answers then there is a problem.
I dunno, a lot of big players are using node in production, and the back-compat's getting reasonable. Why does the number when you type -v matter?
> Without the originator in place perhaps a more formal product infrastructure can be put in place by Joyent. I'm thinking in particular about a structure for the documentation of primary third party modules...
I think that's the opposite of what Node needs. All of these third party modules came about precisely because there's no blockers or infrastructure to getting started with extending Node. The documentation for some of these modules could definitely be better, but I don't think having a central authority imposing upon the community is a good solution.
> I don't mean to be too critical but if users are going to Stackoverflow for answers then there is a problem.
The reason SO is so huge is precisely because users of pretty much anything will always have problems. Node is not, and never will be, an exception.
I don't get this. Why would a core team be responsible for the documentation of 3rd party modules.
Node has some serious documentation issues but I'm not sure how Ryan or Joyent is responsible for anything outside of anything under nodejs.org/docs
If this situation were anything like DHH stepping down there would be a lot more swearing involved.
I didn't say it should be closed-source. Paid doesn't preclude open source.
Congrats all around
EDIT: edited a bit in the form to make my thought more clear.
At his introduction to the company at Kno, all he said was: "My name is Isaac. I do javascript."
Best of luck to him, he's sure gonna need it!
