Which Programming Language? CoffeeScript, Java, PHP

Today we are going deeper on the importance of feedback when choosing a programming language.

Did you try to spike a little with a new programming language? A very useful way to do it is through the measure of feedback you have from the language and its environment or ecosystem.
So if you tried to download, install, compile... (stopwatch at hand) good! If you didn’t, I’m going to free you from the effort through this and other next posts, so keep in touch.

Which Language?

Let’s consider two “old” languages: Java and PHP and a new one: CoffeeScript

Which Platform?

I’m working on a Mac, and so let’s suppose we want to deploy on it.
It’s important to define your platform because you can try something on a platform and deploy on another one, but of course if you change it on the way, you have an unknown.

Which Context?

I’m writing during the weekend and, unlike other working days, I usually take a nap after lunch, it’s something I’ve been carrying since I was young, it’s a break in the daytime and it lasts about 30 minutes or so, a sort of reversed pomodoro or, better, a pomodoro focused on sleeping ;-)
After that, I’m "energized" and ready for the afternoon. So what?

1. Let’s consider a preliminary of N languages (only three today) some mainstream, some cutting edge. The goal is to hack a timer that wakes me up from my nap after 30 minutes.
2. Note: some languages implement sound generation more smoothly; other are not really sound-friendly, so for this first attempt, a timer that prints “wake up” is enough.
3. Finally for this specific experiment I’d add another requirement: let’s jump to light speed and go somewhere in the universe where 30 minutes are equal to 3 seconds (my nap is incredibly reduced ;-)

psst: If you are lazy like me, you can go directly to the Conclusion, otherwise continue to read.

First I create a directory named contest in which we save all our spikes.

---

The first language to consider is Java

I create a subdirectory for Java and look for Java on Google like any newbie.

Following my breadcrumbs with some comments:

• http://java.com/en/download/apple_manual.jsp?locale=en - Cool I don’t have to download anything on my Mac. 
• http://java.com/en/java_in_action/ - Hmm. 
• http://java.com/en/download/help/index.xml - A help, good! 
• http://java.com/en/download/testjava.jsp - No hint yet. 
• http://java.com/en/download/faq/develop.xml 
• http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/topics/newtojava/overview/index.html - Finally a “New to Java” page.

Actually we have spent 6 minutes, but no info worth on. 

So I search for something like “first java program” on the favorite search engine and..... at 8.36 minutes I land here:

• http://download.oracle.com/javase/tutorial/getStarted/cupojava/win32.html#win32-2b - It’s a page for windows anyway and I’m annoyed enough to skip some instructions, so I:
•  open vi
•  copy&paste
•  compile and run.

The output is OK (after 10 minutes) 

But.... our exercise doesn't end here, how can we implement a timer?

I search again: “java timer”

• http://download.oracle.com/javase/1.4.2/docs/api/java/util/Timer.html - So what? Search again: java timer example 
• http://www.gammelsaeter.com/programming/simple-timer-example-in-java/ - Lots of comments here and there, let’s dig more and land here:
• http://www.java2s.com/Code/Java/Development-Class/UsejavautilTimertoscheduleatasktoexecuteonce5secondshavepassed.htm - It seems better

I do a bit of c&p, remove all comments, compile and run. It works (17.20).
Now I reduce frills, and change time to 3 seconds

After 18.05 minutes we have our timer:

import java.util.Timer;

import java.util.TimerTask;

public class ReminderBeep {

  Timer timer;

  public ReminderBeep(int seconds) {

    timer = new Timer();

    timer.schedule(new RemindTask(), seconds * 1000);

  }

  class RemindTask extends TimerTask {

    public void run() {

      System.out.println("Time's up!");

      System.exit(0);

    }

  }

  public static void main(String args[]) {

    new ReminderBeep(3);

  }

}

Anyway the Java syntax is not concise nor essential, but 18 minutes is a pretty fast time even if I was almost confident to read the example for windows.

---

Now let’s pick PHP

I go to:

• http://www.php.net/ then
• http://www.php.net/downloads.php - Good, I create a the php folder, untar the downloaded file, then 
• http://it.php.net/manual/en/ 
• http://it.php.net/manual/en/tutorial.requirements.php - Hmm, should I install apache and mysql? I don’t need them, now, let’s move on 
• http://it.php.net/manual/en/tutorial.firstpage.php - I don’t want to start a web server, is our favourite browser so smart to interpret php code? 

I try to write the hello.php file and then I point the browser directly on it.

• vi hello.php 
• a bit of c&p 
• open browser on file://......../hello.php it doesn’t work, of course. 

I surf the web again:

• http://it.php.net/manual/en/install.php 
• http://it.php.net/manual/en/install.macosx.php - “PHP is bundled with Mac”, wonderful! 
• http://it.php.net/manual/en/install.macosx.bundled.php 

I locate and open the Apache configuration file, it should be here: /private/etc/apache2/httpd.conf and I change it accordingly.
Than I go to: /Library/WebServer/Documents and I write a simple phpinfo

<?php phpinfo(); ?> 

Now I restart apache with: sudo apachectl graceful and then I point the browser here: http://localhost/info.php, it works.
Now I move hello.php here: /Library/WebServer/Documents , it works

After 27.00 minutes we have:

<html>

 <head>

  <title>PHP Test</title>

 </head>

 <body>

 <?php echo '<p>Hello World</p>'; ?> 

 </body>

</html> 

Now I make a search for a timer on Google: "php timer example"

• http://www.phpclasses.org/browse/file/1379.html - Hmm. 
• http://php.net/manual/en/function.time.php (35 mins).
• http://www.daniweb.com/web-development/php/threads/256063 (38 minutes). 
• http://www.hotscripts.com/forums/php/126-php-timer.html - Better.

Finally after 43 minutes that’s the simplified timer: 

<?php
sleep(3); 
echo "wake up<br />";
?>

As you have seen, php drives you to use a web server and to execute the code inside it, even if we have not a real need to build up such infrastructure.
I’d like to underline this concept: of course php scripts run in a web server.... at the end. But now, our focus is to learn the language, all other “mandatory” steps distract us from our goal and put it away. I don’t think about it as a" una tantum" stuff, I think as a clue you have to evaluate the language ecosystem and the intentions of the creator of the language.
Anyway the php example is really minimal compared with java.

---

And finally CoffeeScript

The usual breadcrumbs:

• http://jashkenas.github.com/coffee-script/
• http://jashkenas.github.com/coffee-script/#installation -The command-line version of coffee is available as a Node.js utility. The core compiler however, does not depend on Node, and can be run in any JavaScript environment, or in the browser  (2.37 minutes)
• http://nodejs.org/
• http://nodejs.org/#download
• https://github.com/joyent/node/wiki/Installation - No, no, no Mac OSX users also have the option of installing a precompiled package from: https://sites.google.com/site/nodejsmacosx/ that includes npm. Cool!
• Download, install the pkg node.js. - Installed (7.42 minutes)

Now I create the directory coffeescript under contest then

• sudo npm install -g coffee-script 
• I test the installation, type: coffee - Cool it runs.
• I type: number = 42 - OK, it returns 42 it seems working,
• And I exit the REPL, how? It could be: exit, no, quit, no, bye, no, open sesame no way.

I'm defeated. I google: "exit coffeescript repl"

• http://stackoverflow.com/questions/6536725/how-to-exit-coffeescript-repl - The answer is: ctr+d (after 14 mins)

I exited, but it’s not yet clear to me how to print something, let’s look deeper at the overview and try:

• alert “hello” - ReferenceError: alert is not defined 
• coffee -e "console.log num for num in [10..1]" - Gotcha! 
• console.log "hello" - That's fine.  

 After 29 minutes

Finally let's look for a timer:
http://stackoverflow.com/questions/4917567/coffeescript-timer-and-this-pointer-on-callback - found it.

Now I rearrange the script in the coffee repl to have something like:

setTimeout((-> console.log "wake up"), 3000) - It works!

After 38 minutes

Actually CoffeeScript is really playable and it has a minimal syntax, but I expected a more clear documentation: the repl delayed me a bit

---

Conclusion

Let's sum up some results:

The chart shows the time spent doing installation plus some initial check and the time spent hacking a timer.

PHP and CoffeeScript result in the same amount of time for the installation, but hacking a simple timer in CoffeeScript is quicker and it's comparable with Java, but I can't tell you more, the trial is not ending here and I still need a couple of posts to show other insights.

Next week time we'll analyze three other languages, keep in touch and... mind the feedback!






Chicken timer by abbey*christine
Installation by zigazou76

Two Reasons Your Favorite Programming Language Becomes Cumbersome

Regarding "Is Your Programming Language A Burden?", a couple of days ago, a reader asked me:

“How can I find a language more cumbersome the more I use it?”

Nice question and the answer is quite simple:

• The first reason can be that the language was born cumbersome, but we didn’t have the fine taste to recognize its useless complexity. 

Let’s take an example: think about String class in Java or C# you know it’s final/sealed, you cannot extend it to open its behavior. Moreover you cannot modify it because it’s integrated with the language (grrrrr). I can bet when programmers realize those obstacles they become aware that language holds their creativity.

• The second reason is about a language born simple, but release after release, version after version new constructs are stuffed in and finally it becomes bloated.

Look at  Java history and pick your top worst updates.

In conclusion, the more you play with a language the more you discover if it solves your programming needs or if it’s only a parking brake.

P.S.
There is a third reason of course: a language starts cumbersome and in the meantime grows with useless syntax additions, that's the worst case dear readers ;-)

photo by http://www.flickr.com/photos/reiver/

Wordpress.com vs. Blogger

If you are reading this post, probably you are aware last week I changed blogging platform: from wordpress.com to blogger.
I specified wordpress.com because there is also a wordpress.org but that's the carry-over-your-shoulders  platform.

The very first days I set up my blog, I found on the net a lot of useful plugins for wordpress, wonderful - I said - I tried to install some plugins or to search for the right option in .com, but unfortunately they was for the .org version (side note: dear reader, you have to know I'm a simple mind, I get lost immediately when I find something it's not crystal clear).
Finally I discovered the difference: .com is all-inclusive but restricted, .org is free as a bird but you've also to mount an ikea wardrobe.
I discarded the .org solution sure the .com version was downhill all the way.

Now, let see the "easy" way:

Wordpress.com Dashboard

In your personal wordpress.com dashboard there are: five items in the top bar and fourteen items in the admin bar on the left, i.e. nineteen first level items, but  if you expand every item there are many others links or buttons eager to be clicked.   G o s h.

Now let's go to the blogger dashboard

Blogger Dashboard

Six first level (tabbed) items, plus a "view blog" link

Why do you want to start a blog? Probably because you want to write something worth of and I say writing, not configuring or searching for the right option or whatever else. All other activities are needed but should be done with less hassle. Writing should be immediate!
I've to admit the settings tab in blogger is quite crowded and can be simplified, but almost all the default options are ok.

Good, that's enough but I'll tell you more in the next post.
See you.

Update: The second part of this post is here: Wordpress.com vs. Blogger II

You are an innovator

Are you doing the very same things, every day in your life? And you feel you are stuck like a fly in a spider's web.

Probably you are not alone!

But if you are so obsessed to find a way to get rid off them, so, they'll call you innovator.

Reuse, Reduce, Recycle...again

Ok fine, it was an intense week folks, the team struggled with a lot of legacy code (arghh) . Anyway, do you remember Up With People, Reuse Reduce Recycle about two posts ago? Good, I'm going to tell you a story:
Let's suppose you want to go to New York City (are you living there? Ok, stop reading this post, go out, jog in central park, eat something at Bubba Gump etc. etc. etc.).
Let's move on, you are not living in NYC, not in Brooklyn, Queens... but far from Manhattan and you are looking for a flight from your hometown to The Big Apple, so you browse some flight search engines.
One more hint: you are not someone who likes to socialize, to chit-chat, to talk about the weather, you are not human you are... a programmer! Are you living in NYC and you are human? Stop reading this post, go out, jog in...
As you are a programmer, you want to know some of the internalities of flights and how data is transferred from server to client. Finally during your adventure as a novice Sherlock you find at 85%... hmm at 91%... hmm at 97.49% an: XML.

When I find an XML, I always think to myself: I could merrily develop with my favorite language (Smalltalk you guess), why should I face with XML, the Bernie Madoff of languages, something that robs semantic from riches (Smalltalk) to put it in the trash?

In this context you can have something like:

<route>
      <flights>
            <flight>
                  <flightNumber>123456</flightNumber>
                  <departure>Milan MXP</departure>
                  <departureTime>10:30 AM 20110101</departureTime>
                  <arrival>New York City JFK</arrival>
                  <arrivalTime>12:30 PM 20110101</arrivalTime>
            </flight>
          .
          .
      </flights>
</route>

That annoying structure is multiplied for thousands of flights and I don't want to mention: fares, meals, taxes, types of airplanes and so on. You can easily imagine how this xml can be cumbersome.
What can be useful is a mechanism to take a root object (Route) on the server, packing it with all its attributes, transferring it on a client and restoring it there. Many languages support this mechanism: it's called serialization, in Smalltalk you can use a special object: SmartRefStream to easily serialize any object tree.
Ok... ok... I can hear your objections: "XML is a serialization format", "XML provides interoperability" I know, but SmartRefStream is there, smiling at you, there is no need to invent another fashionable format if I can use an effective one, we don't need interoperability, we need operability! We want to use and reuse it, we want to reduce the complexity, not to introduce a new format. But you know I'm not human, I'm a programmer, but not a programmer, I'm a smalltalker.
See you folks.

Is Obama a software guy?

Last week, with the end of Osama Bin Laden, President Obama ended a tangent started ten years ago. It was an expensive digression, but now, in some way, it's a full stop. I don't know what is the involvement of Mr.President in software, even if his campaign had some contributions by agile people, but we, as software developers, should learn from that lesson: to commit implementing a feature and delivering it. It's not a software specific issue, it concerns every professional that wants to be reliable: to promise and to keep the promise.

Reuse, Reduce, Recycle

A long time ago I hosted some guys of Up With People for about a week, they arranged a lovely show in my hometown dancing, singing... we had a lot of fun.
I mind a song named "Reuse, Reduce, Recycle" actually I can't remember the lyrics, but at that time, the song, favoured by a nice riff, stuck in my mind for a while.

I'm not here to advertise on how to be green, but to reflect on software building.
How many times did you think that to implement an HTML page was only a matters of minutes? Unfortunately, you spent one very single day fighting with CSSes and browsers and when you thought you were done, a colleague showed you that increasing fonts the layout was compromised. Arrrgggg!
Or... you are a JS warrior and you want to use that very nice feature of JQuery to impress the customer that is behind you looking at the screen of your pc. Unfortunately the version of JQuery you have in production is a couple of years old and there is no trace of that nice feature you love (of course, a multitude of other services are using that old, but running version of JQuery... and you want to change it? Brrrrr).

That's a standard scenario, but let the UWP guys give us a hand.
How? Next time folks :-)

My Truth, Your Truth

From time to time I see some buzz on "my truth", "your truth", "their truth". Language evolves, but in some cases, meanings are deliberately distorted to undermine the power of words. It does not exist my truth or your truth only my opinion or your opinion.

That's my opinion.

You are wonderful!

Because you are the reader of my blog ;-)