D as a college language

[Russel Winder]

On Fri, 2018-05-04 at 11:52 +0000, bauss via Digitalmars-d wrote:
> […]
> 
> The biggest issue is that there isn't much industrial work done 
> in D and that's why it's not taught.

Perhaps this argument is used in some places, but it is not the primary driver
for choice of programming languages in universities. It is a secondary factor
though certainly.

> When you're taught to program in specific languages, it's because 
> those languages are where the job market is at.

In some training courses, yes, in universities no.

> I completely agree with your post however, but I don't see D ever 
> taking off as an educational programming language in the majority 
> of schools, because it doesn't have a job market to support it.

Not a primary argument.

The single biggest reason why D is not taught in universities is that D is not
taught in universities. There are many fashion and herd aspects to teaching
programming. The leaders will choose a language for pedagogical reasons, mixed
a bit with jobs market, and will create teaching materials. All the rest just
follow what the leaders decide using the leaders materials if at all possible
so as to avoid having to make their own.

> Say if you apply for a Java job and it says you have 10 years of 
> experience programming in D and 3 years of experience programming 
> Java, then another applicant has 7 years of experience 
> programming in Java, but 0 experience with programming in D.
> 
> To the one hiring the person with 7 years of experience seem like 
> a better choice, just because they generally have no idea what D 
> is and what it offers. They don't know that if you program in D 
> you can usually program very well, if not better than most 
> general Java developers __when__ using Java. All they know is 
> that they use Java and they're looking for the one with most 
> experience in that field.

If this is the jobs market you have experienced you are applying to the wrong
companies. Experience (as debated in other threads) is a problematic concept.
Having worked for 10 years in C++ doesn't mean you have 10 years constructive
experience; someone with 6 months might be a better programmer and thus
chosen. Of course cost of person is a factor as well.

Remember though someone with 1 year Haskell, 1 year Lisp, 1 year C++, and 1
year Java, may well be a better D programmer than someone with 10 years D
experience.  

> Until D becomes an industrial requirement, then it will not be 
> taught.
> 
> That's why D is a hobby language.

N. D seems to be a hobby language because everyone says this in public forums.
D is a programming language, some use it for hobby, some for hard core
industrial and commercial. It is just that it's traction is not high.

-- 
Russel.
==========================================
Dr Russel Winder      t: +44 20 7585 2200
41 Buckmaster Road    m: +44 7770 465 077
London SW11 1EN, UK   w: www.russel.org.uk
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