Beating the Averages
2 days ago
- Viaweb was a pioneering Web-based application, launched in 1995, that allowed users to build online stores via a server-based interface.
- The software was uniquely written in Lisp, a language not typically used for commercial applications at the time, giving Viaweb a competitive edge.
- Using Lisp enabled rapid development and advanced features, allowing Viaweb to outpace competitors, who often relied on languages like C++ or Perl.
- The 'Blub paradox' explains why programmers often stick with familiar languages, blinding them to the superiority of more powerful languages like Lisp.
- Lisp's power stems from features like macros, which allow programs to manipulate code, leading to capabilities hard to replicate in other languages.
- Startups benefit from using technologies like Lisp that competitors underestimate, turning the slow adoption of new languages into a strategic advantage.