Ten Years of Erlang
Functional programming has too long of a learning curve to the average programmer. A language should be judged by how long it takes <i>average</i> programmers to become proficient in it, not the "Sheldon Cooper" types. In typical medium and large organizations, it's difficult keep being selective about programmer hiring. (There are org structural/political reasons that would take several paragraphs to explain.)<p>This problem existed since Lisp was invented. The benefits would have to be large to overcome the downsides of this learning curve, and so far they are not, except in certain niches.<p>I hate the rain the functional parade, but it's been tried and retried for many decades, but will just <i>not</i> fly in the majority of the real world. I'm just the messenger. The jet-powered chainsaw works wonderful in the lab, but actual lumberjacks either can't figure out how to start it or blow their arms off.<p>If you disagree, please reply instead of negativate me. I would greatly appreciate that.