Judging what matters.
WHAT TO BE SCEPTICAL OF
Claims that a language is dead Claims that a new language replaces an established one Benchmarks presented without context Enthusiasm from people with an interest
WHAT ACTUALLY INDICATES ADOPTION
Job advertisements Production use by organisations Library ecosystem growth Long-term maintenance activity
WHAT INDICATES LITTLE
Discussion volume Popularity in surveys of enthusiasts Conference attention
WHAT TO ASK ABOUT ANY NEW TECHNOLOGY
What problem does this solve that existing tools do not? Who is maintaining it, and will they continue? What happens if it is abandoned?
WHAT TO WAIT FOR
Evidence of production use over years.
WHY
Most new technologies do not persist, and adopting early means carrying the risk.
WHEN EARLY ADOPTION IS DEFENSIBLE
When the problem is genuinely unsolved by existing tools On something not critical
WHAT TO AVOID
Rewriting working systems to follow a trend.
WHAT TO KEEP LEARNING
Fundamentals, which outlast every trend.
