[Dev] Re: refcounted

[Heikki Toivonen]

Andi Vajda wrote:
> I'm just using the Java argument as a way to not paint ourselves into a 
> python-only corner too much. It's important to keep nimbleness at hand, 
> it always comes in handy when you least expect it.

This talk about trying to maintain the possibility of easily switching 
languages seems folly to me. I would have thought the language argument 
was settled a long time ago. If we still are not sure, I'd call this a 
major problem. Also, there is a cost associated in trying to make it 
easy to switch languages.

Mozilla did not seriously consider changing the main programming 
language since 1998 (although more and more code was written in 
JavaScript instead of C++ and C - but then performance work reversed 
some of those decisions). Likewise, Mozilla never tried to make it easy 
to switch to another language (although limiting C++ features to a 
subset that worked with most compilers may have achieved some of that). 
Yet it took at least four years (or six if you think Firefox 1.0 will 
mark Mozilla's success) before there was a great product that could 
stand up to its competitors.

Some reasons why it took so long for Mozilla included overly ambitious 
modular architecture and Mozilla platform work. The modular architecture 
is still being scaled down, and the platform - while powerful - lacks 
tools to really make it easy to use. (Netscape saw back in 2000 that the 
work needed to be shifted towards producing a browser if we wanted to 
get something usable as a browser out.)

In Chandler we are also building a platform. We are also trying to make 
it easily extensible. Those are costing us. I am not saying we should 
not be doing those, but we must balance those with the needs of shipping 
a product. I fear that adding even more ambitious goals to the mix will 
push a usable product so far into the future that we don't even see it.

-- 
   Heikki Toivonen

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