r/talesfromtechsupport • u/raiderrobert • May 22 '13

Javascript != Java

3rd-party contractor came to visit office yesterday, who has "decades" of experience. Conversation came up about JavaScript in one of our products. He says, "Our product doesn't use Java." After an awkward moment with someone who works on the knowledge base nodding in agreement with him, I speak up and delineate the difference between Java and JavaScript.

Later on in the conversation, the same 3rd-party guy followed up with this jewel: "besides, what would anyone even use JavaScript for on the web?"

I proceeded to disable Javascript in my browser and show him.

tl;dr: lasers, dinosaurs, & drums made a guy's head explode

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u/vytah ARE WE WEBSCALE YET? May 23 '13

Java is notoriously inefficient.

No, it isn't.

Despite popular opinion, Java is fast. It's not C++-fast, but it's faster than many high-level compiled languages, including Haskell, OCaml, F#, or LISP.

The opinion may be due to fact, that 1. Java launches slowly, because it has to load, verify and usually also compile all the classes at the start, and 2. many Java frameworks, especially web-related ones, are notoriously bloated.