[erlang-questions] Time for OTP to be Renamed?

[Miles Fidelman]

Loïc Hoguin wrote:
> On 02/14/2014 01:22 PM, Valentin Micic wrote:
>>> Seems to me that scarcity is a GOOD thing for Erlang programmers. 
>>> Java coders are a dime a dozen (not necessarily good ones, mind 
>>> you).  Folks who know Erlang are harder to find - should drive the 
>>> price up.
>>
>> Am I the only one seeing how wrong this statement is?
>> Basic ECON-101 predicts that people buy more of the "stuff", when the 
>> "stuff" is cheaper, and, conversely,  less of the "stuff" when the 
>> "stuff" is more expensive; thus,  the obvious outcome cannot be a 
>> "GOOD for thing Erlang programmers", as they would eventually go 
>> extinct.
>> Or let me rephrase it -- it may be a "GOOD thing for Erlang 
>> programmers" until a cheaper alternative is found.
>
> Erlang is similar, except it's not crappy stuff that's expensive, it's 
> a set of skills that is very hard to find outside Erlang. Erlang 
> developers tend to understand distributed systems more than any other 
> population, and you're paying for that.
>
>> If Erlang is to be taken seriously, it has to be seen to have a value 
>> beyond (somewhat myopic) value derived by individual programming 
>> mercenaries.
>>
>> Within the  organization I work for, we have used Erlang for every 
>> project since 2002 (and there's been many projects since, and many 
>> more to come). Currently we are on average 30% cheaper than our 
>> competitors (that are using Java, etc.) and, mind you, still making a 
>> reasonable profit that allowed our organization to grow.
>>>
>>> Short version:  If I were hiring for a project that was inherently 
>>> concurrent, and required 24x7 operation - I'd be LOOKING for Erlang 
>>> on a resume.  Someone who spent most of their time coding Java would 
>>> be a non-starter.
>>
>> Indeed, for as long as this project may be realized with reduced 
>> cost, as a consequence of being more appropriate than Java equivalent.

Exactly!  Lower total project cost, lower support cost, good income for 
Erlang coders!  (Converse for Java coders, I might add.)  THAT'S ECON-101.

>> But, also, the fact that one knows Erlang, does not mean that such a 
>> person knows how to put it to good use.
>>
As you say... "Erlang developers tend to understand distributed systems 
more than any other population, and you're paying for that."  (I'm 
guessing, because people come to Erlang with some experience, looking 
for specific capabilities only offered by Erlang/OTP.  Vs. people coming 
out of high school "pissing Java" as someone so abtly put it.)

Cheers,

Miles

-- 
In theory, there is no difference between theory and practice.
In practice, there is.   .... Yogi Berra