[SATLUG] Cross Platform Idiocy?

[Borries Demeler]

> The best language I've found in my travels is the one you're good at,
> whether its writing batch files in PC-DOS or shell scripting with tcsh.

I think this is great advice, but then you should also ask
the question what language one should try to master.
Here are some criteria to look at - perhaps others on the 
list can fill in which language matches what criteria. Here are
some criteria I have had to consider in the past:

- cross platform capability (one code base)
- performance/speed
- rapid prototyping
- flexibility (what doesn't the language support)
- automatic memory management
- compiled vs. scripting
- does it have bindings for other languages/libraries?
- how well does it work in a web/network environment?
- what type of applications do I want to develop? (i.e., you probably
don't want to develop a kernel module using tcsh scripting)
- do I need GUI capability, OpenGL?
- do I need to program for an embedded or small memory environment?
- do I need to work with databases?
- do I need parallel computing/multithreading

I'm sure this list can be expanded, but depending on how you answer
these questions you may want to decide on different languages.
-Borries