LISP, a semi-functional language, was originally invented to solve the biggest, hardest problems. Scheme, Common LISP, Ocaml&#x2F;ML, and Haskell have all been used in large systems with good performance. Entire OS&#x27;s were written in LISP&#x27;s with some benefits that modern machines still don&#x27;t have:<p><a href="http:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.symbolics-dks.com&#x2F;Genera-why-1.htm" rel="nofollow">http:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.symbolics-dks.com&#x2F;Genera-why-1.htm</a><p>Note: And some that are laughably obvious and available today lol.<p>So, yes, what people use today is an accident of history. That includes COBOL, C, C++, OOP languages, HTML&#x2F;CSS&#x2F;JS, HTTP-centric everything, and especially whatever crap is being built on them next.<p>If you&#x27;re curious, here&#x27;s the history I put together on C language and UNIX in numbered list form. You&#x27;ll see how IT evolution often works in practice to give us lowest common denominator. And afterwards people swear it was product of good design and great achievement. (rolls eyes)<p><a href="http:&#x2F;&#x2F;pastebin.com&#x2F;UAQaWuWG" rel="nofollow">http:&#x2F;&#x2F;pastebin.com&#x2F;UAQaWuWG</a>