

Go becomes more stable - ukdm
http://blog.golang.org/2011/03/go-becomes-more-stable.html

======
MatthewPhillips
This has been one of my frustrations (with a language I otherwise love). If
you fail to update for a couple of months and then come back your code is
broken. I understand and support why they chose to do it this way though.

~~~
supersillyus
I think it's pretty neat that they have a tool (gofix) that can walk your code
and rewrite it so it works with changes. This is possible in many languages,
but it's pretty impressive for one so young to have it. I guess anything that
makes it easier for them to make reasonable changes is good for the language
long-term.

------
saidulislam
maybe but still far away from making any real impact in terms of popularity.
maybe Google can take out Java (or Delvik) from Android development and
replace with Go. Well, even if they try now it will take a long long while. So
realistically I don't see how Go has any future. Google can but some how
Google is bad in marketing it's own stuff.

~~~
nt
Go is mainly meant to be used for systems development not application
development. It's audience is developers who currently use C/C++ rather than
mobile developers coding in Java.

~~~
amock
Why couldn't it replace Java? From reading about it and my limited use of it I
get the impression that it's meant to be able to replace C or C++ but it's
also meant to be used to write applications as a replacement for a language
like Java. The libraries and API stability are lacking, but I don't see any
language issues that would make it a bad application language.

~~~
enneff
You're quite right. I think Go will make a great applications language. It's
just a matter of library support, which is nascent but rapidly improving.

~~~
rch
I'd say that you should take your time with interop, and practice isolationism
for as long as possible. I don't mind waiting for Go to evolve naturally.

------
whackberry
If you want to work at Google then by all means learn Go. If you don't, then
Go makes as much sense as opening yet another McDonalds clone.

~~~
rikthevik
So you're saying that the guys behind C, Unix and Plan9 have nothing to
contribute to advancing the field of programming languages?

Comments like this bug me. Sure, some languages aren't terribly different from
others, but there's always something new and valuable to be learned from a
programming language, even if it's what not to do. At this point in my career,
I can switch between languages almost seamlessly. Sure, you spend some time on
syntax, but once you understand the concepts behind a language, you're
running.

And with Google Go specifically, they're incorporating good ideas that aren't
making it to existing languages. The Java guys can't agree on how to do
closures, or even if they're a good idea, and the changes to C++ are making it
more baroque. It's like they're having a contest to see how many meanings they
can have for the const keyword.

I'm excited to see a new language designed by smart people with great track
records, incorporating lots of cool new ideas, and from an organization
powerful enough to make sure it's done right and supported long term. Is that
not good enough for you?

