JSON Creator Crockford Urges Developers to Abandon JavaScript

CultRepo

Software evolution has stalled because the tech industry patches over flawed legacy systems with feature bloat instead of transitioning to clean languages and operating systems, Crockford argues.

AI-assisted summary of Why We Should Stop Using JavaScript According to Douglas Crockford (Inventor of JSON) — original source. Check the original for full context.

Source published: 2023-06-01

Key ideas

Douglas Crockford, creator of JSON and early JavaScript champion, has completely reversed his position, calling JavaScript a fundamentally broken and 'smelly language' with congenital defects that the industry must abandon. (0:00)
Software language evolution has stalled: while previous generations transitioned naturally through Fortran, C, C++, Java, and JavaScript, the developer ecosystem currently refuses to adopt newly designed languages. (0:45)
Rather than rebuilding flawed foundations across the web and operating systems, the industry compounds architectural mistakes by continuously layering features on top of broken runtimes. (1:12)
Crockford argues that adopting clean languages, runtimes, and operating systems after a full generation of JavaScript should be seen as normal software evolution rather than a radical stance. (1:45)

Detailed notes

## Background Published on YouTube by CultRepo on June 1, 2023, this video features Douglas Crockford, the creator of JSON and longtime JavaScript advocate. The description highlights Crockford's provocative reversal on JavaScript, calling it a 'smelly language' and exploring why he believes the developer community needs to finally retire it.

## TL;DR Douglas Crockford reflects on his transition from a leading JavaScript champion two decades ago to arguing for its complete abandonment today due to inherent design defects. He points out that the software industry used to transition naturally through language generations—such as Fortran, C, C++, Java, and JavaScript—but has now stalled because developers refuse to adopt new languages. Crockford extends this critique to modern operating systems and the web, arguing that developers compound architectural flaws by piling on features rather than deploying clean, minimal runtimes. Ultimately, he insists that replacing JavaScript after a generation of use should be embraced as ordinary technological evolution rather than treated as a radical opinion.

## Atmosphere & style The clip carries an unvarnished, world-weary candor, feeling like a sobering reality check delivered by an elder statesman of the tech industry. Crockford speaks with calm, matter-of-fact bluntness, displaying zero sentimentality toward the technology that defined his career. His delivery strips away industry hype, making what could sound like a shocking attack on web development feel like a sensible, pragmatic plea for cleaner engineering.

## Bulletin - [00:00](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lc5Np9OqDHU&t=0s) Douglas Crockford, creator of JSON and early JavaScript champion, has completely reversed his position, calling JavaScript a fundamentally broken and 'smelly language' with congenital defects that the industry must abandon. - [00:45](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lc5Np9OqDHU&t=45s) Software language evolution has stalled: while previous generations transitioned naturally through Fortran, C, C++, Java, and JavaScript, the developer ecosystem currently refuses to adopt newly designed languages. - [01:12](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lc5Np9OqDHU&t=72s) Rather than rebuilding flawed foundations across the web and operating systems, the industry compounds architectural mistakes by continuously layering features on top of broken runtimes. - [01:45](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lc5Np9OqDHU&t=105s) Crockford argues that adopting clean languages, runtimes, and operating systems after a full generation of JavaScript should be seen as normal software evolution rather than a radical stance.

## Key takeaways - [00:00](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lc5Np9OqDHU&t=0s) Twenty years ago, Douglas Crockford championed JavaScript, arguing that it was far better than its reputation and capable of changing the world. - [00:20](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lc5Np9OqDHU&t=20s) Crockford's advocacy has fully inverted, moving from teaching developers how to use JavaScript to arguing that they should retire it entirely. - [00:31](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lc5Np9OqDHU&t=31s) JavaScript suffers from inherent, congenital defects at its core, making it a fundamentally 'smelly language.' - [00:40](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lc5Np9OqDHU&t=40s) Even if JavaScript remains the best tool currently available for its domain, being the best by default is no longer acceptable. - [00:47](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lc5Np9OqDHU&t=47s) Historically, the software industry underwent generational language shifts roughly once every few decades, moving from Fortran to C, C++, Java, and then JavaScript. - [01:00](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lc5Np9OqDHU&t=60s) The generational adoption cycle has stopped; brilliant new languages are still being designed, but the broader programming community fails to adopt them. - [01:12](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lc5Np9OqDHU&t=72s) The World Wide Web and contemporary operating systems were built with foundational architectural flaws that have never been corrected. - [01:25](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lc5Np9OqDHU&t=85s) Industry responses to software flaws consist of endlessly piling on features, which introduces fresh complexities and bugs rather than solving root issues. - [01:33](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lc5Np9OqDHU&t=93s) The technology exists to create reliable, clean minimalist operating systems, runtimes, and programming languages, but the industry lacks the will to switch. - [01:45](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lc5Np9OqDHU&t=105s) Having devoted an entire generation of his career to JavaScript, Crockford believes moving on to whatever comes next is a natural evolutionary step rather than a radical position.

## Detailed walkthrough ### [00:00](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lc5Np9OqDHU&t=0s) From JavaScript Evangelist to Calling It a Smelly Language

Douglas Crockford reflects on the dramatic reversal in his relationship with JavaScript over the past two decades. Twenty years ago, he was one of the language's staunchest advocates, championing the narrative that JavaScript was vastly superior to its public reputation. His central message back then was that if developers learned to use JavaScript properly, they could build remarkable things and genuinely change the world—an outcome he notes actually came to pass. However, his mission has now shifted completely in the opposite direction, as he now believes developers must abandon it altogether.

```mermaid flowchart LR accTitle: Evolution of Programming Language Generations accDescr: Douglas Crockford's progression through programming languages over successive generations leading to current stagnation. subgraph Generations["Generational Progression"] L1["Fortran"] --> L2["C"] L2 --> L3["C++"] L3 --> L4["Java"] L4 --> L5["JavaScript"] end subgraph Current["Current Era"] L5 -.->|"Stagnation / Lack of Adoption"| L6["Next Generation?"] end ```

Crockford does not mince words when diagnosing the language's flaws, describing it as fundamentally broken at its core. As Douglas Crockford bluntly summarizes his current evangelism: “That it has so many congenital defects it really is a smelly language.” While he concedes that JavaScript might still be the best tool currently available for its specific domain of application, he insists that being the best by default is simply not good enough anymore. In previous decades, the industry naturally cycled through major languages roughly once every generation—a timeline he lived through personally, transitioning from Fortran to C, C++, Java, and then JavaScript. Yet, that evolutionary cycle has ground to a halt; while individual developers continue to design exceptional new languages, the broader programming community no longer adopts them.

- Twenty years ago, Crockford advocated for JavaScript on the grounds that it was far better than people realized and capable of transforming the software landscape. - Crockford's current stance is that the industry must move on, as JavaScript is bogged down by inherent defects and an accumulation of flawed design decisions. - Historically, an industry-wide generational shift occurred every few decades across major languages (Fortran → C → C++ → Java → JavaScript), but modern adoption for newly created languages has effectively stalled.

[01:12](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lc5Np9OqDHU&t=72s) Software Stagnation and the Evolutionary Case for Clean Systems

Broadening his critique beyond just JavaScript, Crockford targets the wider software landscape, arguing that both the World Wide Web and modern operating systems are riddled with foundational mistakes. Rather than fixing these architectural flaws or replacing legacy platforms, the tech industry remains trapped with defective infrastructure. The standard response across the industry has become compounding the problem by continually heaping new features onto existing systems, which inevitably introduces an endless stream of fresh bugs and complexities.

Crockford laments that computing does not have to remain in this state of perpetual feature bloat. The industry possesses the capability to build and deploy clean, minimalist operating systems paired with clean programming languages and clean runtimes, which would yield far more reliable software architectures. Instead, developers and organizations seem entirely unwilling to make that leap. Having dedicated a full generation of his career to JavaScript, Crockford believes it is high time to usher in whatever comes next, maintaining that wanting to move forward should be the default expectation rather than an outlier opinion. As Douglas Crockford insists: “And I don't think that should be a considered a radical point of view; I think it should be a normal evolutionary view.”

- Legacy mistakes in the web and operating systems are continuously patched over by piling on new features rather than rebuilding clean foundations. - Adding features to fundamentally flawed architectures consistently generates new complications and failure modes. - Crockford advocates for an ecosystem built around clean operating systems, clean runtimes, and clean programming languages to achieve genuine reliability. - Moving past JavaScript after a full generation should be treated as a standard step in software evolution rather than a controversial or radical stance.

## Mentioned Douglas Crockford, JavaScript, JSON, Fortran, C, C++, Java, World Wide Web

## Video description "JavaScript is a smelly language"! Hey, don’t hate the messenger, it’s Douglas Crockford, the cheeky creator of JSON and (former?) JavaScript evangelist who says so! Even though Douglas has spent decades working on JavaScript, he now believes it’s high time we all stopped using it. Do you want to know why? Watch this video and let us know what you think in the comments below.

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[Source](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lc5Np9OqDHU)

中文简报

JSON之父Crockford呼吁开发者弃用JavaScript Crockford认为，软件演进已陷入停滞，因为科技行业没有转向纯净的语言和操作系统，而是用臃肿的功能修补有缺陷的旧系统。 Douglas Crockford反思了自己立场的转变：二十年前他曾是JavaScript的主要倡导者，如今却因其固有的设计缺陷主张彻底放弃它。他指出，软件行业过去曾自然地经历Fortran、C、C++、Java到JavaScript等编程语言的代际更迭，但如今却因开发者拒绝接受新语言而陷入停滞。Crockford还将这一批评延伸到现代操作系统和网络平台，认为开发者通过不断堆叠功能而不是部署干净、极简的运行时，从而加剧了架构缺陷。他最终强调，在经历了整整一代人的使用后，替换JavaScript应当被视为正常的技术演进，而非激进观点。 JSON的创造者兼早期JavaScript倡导者Douglas Crockford已彻底逆转立场，称JavaScript从根本上已经损坏且是一种带有先天缺陷的“臭语言”，整个行业必须将其弃用。 (0:00) 编程语言的演进已陷入停滞：尽管前几代人自然地经历了Fortran、C、C++、Java和JavaScript的更替，但当前的开发者生态系统却拒绝采用新设计的语言。 (0:45) 整个行业非但没有重构网络和操作系统中存在缺陷的底层基础，反而在损坏的运行时之上不断堆叠功能，从而加剧了架构错误。 (1:12) Crockford认为，在JavaScript使用了一整代人之后，采用纯净的语言、运行时和操作系统应当被视为正常的软件演进，而非激进立场。 (1:45)

Reading summary

Douglas Crockford, who spent decades championing JavaScript, now contends the software industry must abandon it due to inherent design flaws and an unhealthy halt in language evolution. From Staunch Advocate to Rejection of JavaScript (0:00) Twenty years ago, Douglas Crockford actively promoted JavaScript, arguing that it was far better than its reputation suggested and capable of fundamentally transforming software development. While acknowledging that developers did achieve remarkable things with it, Crockford has since reversed his position entirely. He now describes JavaScript as a fundamentally broken language characterized by numerous congenital defects. The Breakdown of Generational Language Adoption (0:00) Crockford notes that software development historically cycled through major language paradigms roughly once every generation, citing his own transitions across Fortran, C, C++, Java, and JavaScript. Although he concedes JavaScript may still be the best available tool for its specific domain by default, he argues that this evolutionary adoption cycle has stalled because the wider programming community refuses to adopt newly designed languages. Architectural Stagnation Across Modern Computing (1:12) Broadening his critique, Crockford argues that the web and modern operating systems are trapped by foundational architectural mistakes. Rather than correcting structural flaws, the industry repeatedly layers new features onto compromised platforms, which Crockford states only introduces fresh bugs and added complexity instead of creating clean foundations. The Case for Clean Software Ecosystems (1:12) Crockford asserts that the technology sector already possesses the knowledge and capacity to construct minimalist operating systems, clean runtimes, and clean programming languages. Rather than viewing the retirement of JavaScript as a radical proposition, he argues that moving to the next generation of software tools after twenty years should be embraced as normal, necessary evolutionary progress. Crockford maintains that the industry must transition to cleaner, more reliable architectures, though he leaves unresolved why the broader software community remains so stubbornly resistant to adopting newly developed alternatives.

精炼阅读摘要

JSON 发明者道格拉斯·克罗克福德（Douglas Crockford）表示，软件行业应当彻底淘汰 JavaScript，因为该语言存在诸多先天缺陷，且行业正因停滞不前和盲目堆砌功能而陷入技术困境。从极力推崇到主张弃用 (0:00) 克罗克福德指出，自己在过去二十年间对 JavaScript 的态度发生了彻底转变。二十年前，他曾是该语言最坚定的倡导者之一，坚信正确使用该语言能创造卓越成果并改变世界，而这一预期也确实成为了现实。然而，他现在的立场转变为呼吁开发者完全弃用它，并直言该语言存在大量“先天缺陷”，核心层面已经千疮百孔，成为一种“散发恶臭的语言”。尽管克罗克福德承认 JavaScript 目前仍可能是其特定应用领域中最好用的工具，但他强调，仅凭默认的最佳地位已不足以支撑其继续存在。代际演进停滞与语言迭代受阻 (0:00) 克罗克福德回顾了软件行业以往的发展历史，指出编程语言大致每隔一代人就会经历一次自然的迭代更新。他亲历了从 Fortran、C、C++、Java 到 JavaScript 的代际过渡。然而，这种历史演进机制目前已陷入停滞状态。虽然当今仍有开发者不断设计出优秀的新语言，但更广泛的编程社群却不再采纳或推行这些新工具，导致整个行业的技术革新步伐裹足不前。底层缺陷与堆砌功能的困境 (1:12) 除了对 JavaScript 本身的批评，克罗克福德还将审视范围扩展至更广阔的软件生态。他认为，万维网和现代操作系统同样充满了根本性的架构失误，但科技行业并未着手修复基础缺陷，而是选择在已有残缺系统上不断累加新特性。克罗克福德批评这种堆砌功能的技术路线只会持续引入新的漏洞与复杂性，阻碍了构建真正可靠架构的可能。构建极简可靠系统的诉求 (1:12) 克罗克福德主张，计算领域完全具备采用清洁、极简的操作系统、编程语言和运行时环境的能力，从而实现更高可靠性的软件架构。然而，现有组织和开发者群体普遍不愿迈出这一步。克罗克福德强调，在为 JavaScript 投入整整一代人的职业生涯之后，行业理应迈向下一代技术形态，且追求技术进化应当被视作一种正常的演进规律，而非激进或异端的观点。克罗克福德呼吁软件行业打破对存在缺陷的遗留基础设施的依赖，推动向下一代整洁系统的正常演化；但面对开发者群体与行业组织对采纳新技术的集体迟疑，下一代编程语言能否真正普及仍悬而未决。

Detailed notes — zh

## Background 该视频由 CultRepo（依托 Honeypot 开发者平台）于 2023 年 6 月 1 日发布在 YouTube 上。视频简介指出，JSON 发明者兼前 JavaScript 布道者 Douglas Crockford 批评 JavaScript 是门“充满恶臭的语言”，尽管他为其倾注了数十年心血，如今却认为全行业必须彻底停止使用它。 ## TL;DR 曾经极力推广 JavaScript 的 Douglas Crockford 如今提出截然相反的主张，呼吁整个行业立即停用 JavaScript。他尖锐地指出该语言充满先天缺陷，现状已是一门充斥糟粕与垃圾的“恶臭语言”，即便在当前领域最适用，也远谈不上足够优秀。Crockford 回顾了从 Fortran、C 到 Java 的健康技术更迭历史，感叹如今的技术演进已然陷入停滞，主流生态只知在充满历史包袱的废墟上不断堆叠新特性、制造新问题。他认为自己已为 JavaScript 耗费了一代人的光阴，全行业必须鼓起勇气打破惯性，全面迈向纯净的操作系统、语言与运行时环境。 ## Atmosphere & style 整段视频洋溢着一种直言不讳、犀利且带着沧桑幻灭感的技术批判氛围。Douglas Crockford 没有丝毫委婉修饰，用词辛辣果断，以技术泰斗的视角对现状表达了深刻的疲惫与失望。观看体验既发人深省又带有一丝无奈，读者能清晰感受到一位见证过数次技术革命的老将，眼见整个行业陷入修修补补的泥潭时那种恨铁不成钢的焦灼与呼吁变革的决绝。 ## Bulletin - [00:00](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lc5Np9OqDHU&t=0s) JSON 之父、前 JavaScript 核心布道者 Douglas Crockford 呼吁软件工程界彻底停用 JavaScript，直斥其拥有过多先天缺陷，已沦为“充满恶臭的语言”。 - [00:48](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lc5Np9OqDHU&t=48s) 计算机编程语言原本每隔一代人就会出现健康的技术迭代，但自 JavaScript 确立主导地位后，整个行业的代际更替已陷入严重停滞。 - [00:48](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lc5Np9OqDHU&t=48s) 软件产业放弃了对 Web 与操作系统底层历史缺陷的根治，反而陷入在既有糟粕上持续堆叠新特性的死循环，而新特性又不断催生全新问题。 - [00:48](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lc5Np9OqDHU&t=48s) Crockford 强调呼吁迈向纯净的操作系统、纯净语言及高效运行时并非激进主义，而是正常技术生态迫切需要的演进常态。 ## Key takeaways - [00:00](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lc5Np9OqDHU&t=0s) Douglas Crockford 曾是 JavaScript 最坚定的捍卫者，曾成功预言该语言能够改变世界并成为现代互联网基石。 - [00:00](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lc5Np9OqDHU&t=0s) Crockford 如今立场发生 180 度大反转，提出必须全面停用 JavaScript 的核心信条。 - [00:00](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lc5Np9OqDHU&t=0s) JavaScript 底层架构充斥着与生俱来的严重先天缺陷，内部堆积了过多的糟粕与垃圾，修补已无意义。 - [00:00](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lc5Np9OqDHU&t=0s) 即使 JavaScript 目前在网页应用领域仍是“最适用”的工具，但这绝不等于它“足够好”，无法支撑软件工业的长远未来。 - [00:48](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lc5Np9OqDHU&t=48s) 以往编程语言保持着清晰的代际演进节奏，经历过从 Fortran 到 C、C++、Java，再到 JavaScript 的更替周期。 - [00:48](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lc5Np9OqDHU&t=48s) 当前许多独立开发者创造的优秀新兴语言，由于主流生态壁垒而完全无法获得采纳与推广。 - [00:48](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lc5Np9OqDHU&t=48s) 现有 Web 架构和主流操作系统内部深藏大量早期的严重设计错误，行业却缺乏推倒重构的动力。 - [00:48](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lc5Np9OqDHU&t=48s) 盲目为老旧系统堆叠新特性并不能解决根基问题，反而会不可避免地引入更多全新的系统缺陷与 Bug。 - [00:48](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lc5Np9OqDHU&t=48s) 全行业理应致力于构建纯净优雅的编程语言、纯净的操作系统以及高可靠性的运行时环境。 - [00:48](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lc5Np9OqDHU&t=48s) 推动软件基础设施跨代演进是技术发展的健康常态，不应被视为反叛或激进的异端邪说。 ## Detailed walkthrough ### [00:00](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lc5Np9OqDHU&t=0s) 从极力布道到呼吁停用：JavaScript 的先天缺陷与“恶臭” 二十年前，Douglas Crockford 曾是 JavaScript 最坚定的布道者与捍卫者。在那个 JavaScript 饱受偏见与误解的时代，他到处向世人讲述同一个故事：JavaScript 远比任何人所了解的都要优秀得多，只要我们能够以正确的方式去运用它，它就能够成就惊人的伟业，甚至足以彻底改变世界。事实证明，历史的发展确实印证了他的预言——JavaScript 后来成为了驱动现代互联网与全球软件产业的基石。然而，物换星移，如今这位曾经的头号布道者却提出了一个完全相反的全新信条：整个行业必须立即停止使用 JavaScript。在 Douglas Crockford 看来，这门语言早已沉疴难愈，其底层架构充斥着与生俱来的严重缺陷，继续修补已无意义。谈及该语言目前的糟糕现状，Douglas Crockford 直截了当地批评道：“That it has so many congenital defects it really is a smelly language.”（它有着如此多的先天缺陷，真是一门充满恶臭的语言。）他毫不客气地指出，这门语言内部堆积了太多的糟粕与垃圾。即便退一步承认，在当前特定的前端与网页应用领域中，它或许依然是全世界处理此类业务最出色的工具，但 Crockford 强调这绝不意味着现状是可接受的，因为“最适用”并不等于“足够好”，整个软件行业亟需彻底告别过去，大步迈向下一代编程语言。 - **昔日论调**：二十年前主张 JavaScript 远超公众认知，只要规范使用即可创造奇迹并改变世界，这一论断已成为现实。 - **现阶段主张**：行业应全面弃用 JavaScript，原因在于其内部包含大量先天缺陷（congenital defects），本质上已是一门发出恶臭（smelly）且充斥垃圾的语言。 - **核心判断**：即便利于特定场景应用，也早已“不够好（not good enough）”，无法支撑长远未来。 --- ### [00:48](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lc5Np9OqDHU&t=48s) 计算机语言进化的停滞困境与对下一代纯净系统的呼唤计算机科学界曾经保持着健康的代际更替节奏，大约每一代人都会迎来一次编程语言的全面洗牌与革新。Douglas Crockford 回忆起自己的技术生涯，早年是从经典的 Fortran 开始，随后依次过渡到 C 语言、C++、Java，再一路走到 JavaScript 等划时代工具的普及。然而，这种历史性的代际演进在 JavaScript 确立霸权之后仿佛彻底停滞了。如今依然有许多优秀的开发者在独立钻研并创造全新的编程语言，甚至单凭个人力量就能做出质量极高的优秀语言，但悲哀的现实是，这些新生力量根本无法获得主流生态的采纳与推广。这种深层停滞不仅发生在语言层面，更蔓延至整个互联网基础设施与底层操作系统。Web 的运作机理以及现行操作系统中深藏着大量可怕的早期设计错误，但全行业似乎彻底失去了更新换代的动力与能力。Douglas Crockford 带着失望与无奈总结道：“We're just stuck with this crap and they keep piling new features on everything and the new features always create new problems and it doesn't have to be like that.”（我们被困在这些垃圾里，而他们还在不断给所有东西堆叠新特性，新特性又总是催生新问题，事情本不必如此。）他坚信，人类本可以构建出无比纯净的操作系统、纯净优雅的编程语言以及纯净高效的运行时环境，从而以极高可靠性的方式构建现代软件，但整个产业似乎完全缺乏做出改变的意愿。Crockford 表示自己投身 JavaScript 已经整整耗费了一代人的光阴，现在必须迈向崭新的未来，而这种呼吁绝不该被视为激进的异端邪说，它本应是一个正常技术生态不可或缺的演进常态。 ```mermaid flowchart TD accTitle: 编程语言的历史更迭与停滞困境对比 accDescr: 展示从 Fortran 到 JavaScript 的正常演进，随后陷入特性堆叠的恶性循环，最终呼唤走向干净的操作系统与纯净语言。 subgraph History["历史上的正常代际更迭"] L1["Fortran"] --> L2["C / C++"] L2 --> L3["Java"] L3 --> L4["JavaScript"] end subgraph Trap["当下的技术停滞困境"] L4 --> S1["代际演进停滞 / 无法被广泛采纳"] S1 --> S2["向既有糟粕堆叠新特性 (Feature Creep)"] S2 --> S3["新特性持续衍生全新问题与缺陷"] S3 --> S2 end subgraph Future["下一代健康技术生态"] direction TB F1["纯净的操作系统 (Clean OS)"] F2["纯净的现代编程语言 (Clean Languages)"] F3["纯净高可靠的运行时 (Clean Runtimes)"] end Trap -.->|"迫切需要的正常演进"| Future ``` - **代际停滞**：以往每代人都会经历语言更替（Fortran → C → C++ → Java → JavaScript），但目前即便单人创造出极佳的新语言，也根本无法获得生态采用。 - **架构硬伤**：Web 规范与传统操作系统中包含大量历史遗留的恶性错误，整个行业却放弃了底层替换，陷入不断堆叠新特性的死循环，而新特性又在不断制造全新 Bug。 - **历史使命与诉求**：Crockford 自认已为 JavaScript 奉献了一整代人的时间，呼吁全行业转向干净的操作系统、干净的语言与干净的运行时，强调这种推倒重建是正常的演化规律而非激进主义。 ## Mentioned Douglas Crockford, JavaScript, JSON, Fortran, C, C++, Java ## Video description "JavaScript is a smelly language"! Hey, don’t hate the messenger, it’s Douglas Crockford, the cheeky creator of JSON and (former?) JavaScript evangelist who says so! Even though Douglas has spent decades working on JavaScript, he now believes it’s high time we all stopped using it. Do you want to know why? Watch this video and let us know what you think in the comments below. Check out the home for untold developer stories around open source, careers and all the other cool stuff developers are doing at cult.honeypot.io. Honeypot is a developer-focused job platform, on a mission to get developers great jobs. Wanna see what we're all about? Visit honeypot.io to find a job you love. To learn more about Honeypot: https://bit.ly/3LpAkcU Follow Douglas: Website and blog: https://www.crockford.com Github: https://github.com/douglascrockford Follow us: Twitter: https://twitter.com/honeypotio LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/honeypotio/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/honeypot.cult/ [Source](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lc5Np9OqDHU)

Original transcript

[0:00] 20 years ago, I was advocating for JavaScript. [0:04] My story was that JavaScript is a much better language than anybody knows [0:10] and that if we use it properly we can do amazing things about it and it can change the world [0:17] and in fact that happened. [0:19] But now my evangel is that [0:22] we should stop using JavaScript. [0:24] That it has so many congenital defects it really is a smelly language. [0:31] There's a just a lot of crap in it. [0:34] And it's still maybe for its field of application [0:41] the best language in the world for doing that kind of stuff [0:44] but that's not good enough. [0:45] We should be moving on to the next generation of languages. [0:48] It used to be that we'd get new computer languages about every generation. [0:55] I started with Fortran and then C and [0:58] C++ and Java and JavaScript and so on and then it kind of stopped. [1:03] There are still people developing languages but nobody cares. [1:06] One person can make a programming language, a really good one, [1:10] but you can't get adoption for it. [1:12] There are lots of terrible mistakes in the way that the web works, [1:16] in the way our operating systems work, and we can't get new ones. [1:22] We're just stuck with this crap and they keep piling new features on everything [1:27] and the new features always create new problems and [1:31] it doesn't have to be like that. We could be using really clean operating systems [1:36] with really clean languages and really clean runtimes and doing all this stuff [1:43] in a much more reliable way. [1:45] But we don't seem to want to do that. [1:49] I've done JavaScript for a generation. [1:52] It's time for the next thing. [1:55] And I don't think that should be a [1:58] considered a radical point of view. I think it should be a normal evolutionary view.