Well, I do like Javascript

Ok folks, what's with all the JS hating out there? The post by Julik Live is getting tossed around the dev community, some calling it bulls*#%, but others loudly “agreeing” (you turncoats).

Me, I love Javascript

Yes it has its quirks, its WTFs; as many (all ?) languages do. But it has some great things going for it as well.

I could list all the pros and cons of JS, but that's not what a language — or anything, for that matter — is about. That's being short-sighted.

Working with a language is, in my opinion, like hanging out with a person. No-one's perfect. You will never find someone who's 100% great all the time. Yet that doesn't mean you don't love spending time with that person.

It's not about the person, it's what that person brings out in you

Take a minute to look at all the brilliant stuff that exists in JS. Would people really have taken the time to build all that using a shit language? Of course not! Granted, some did not have a choice. But many of them chose JS because they wanted to use JS. Now think of all the total crap you've seen written in “good” languages. See what I'm getting at?

Would you say that a person that's ugly, or less clever, is always a shitty person? I hope not.

Likewise, would you say a person that's beautiful and smart is automatically a great person? I hope not.

If a very likable person is loved by hundreds, except you, than the problem is probably not with the person, but with you.

If a language, like JS, is loved by thousands — many of them very smart an talented — and used for exceptionally useful and beautiful applications, yet you discard it, then I say you have not taken the time to get to know the language that well or (more likely) haven't given it the chance it deserves.

For me, I worked with languages that are much more rigid and well thought-through than JS (no, I'm certainly not talking about PHP). But I still love working with JS. It's like meeting an old friend. We build great stuff together, and I enjoy (almost) every minute of it.

Don't get me wrong. I'm not saying JS is perfect. Far from it (some of Julik's points are totally valid). I'm not saying you must love JS either. We all have our preferences. But that does not mean it deserves to be hated and/or discarded as a language.

JS is an exceptional and fun tool, used for exceptional and fun projects. Period.

Now, let's get back to coding (in the language of your choosing).