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"HTML/CSS are programming languages" is so tiresome. I don& #39;t attach any more or less value to something that is or isn& #39;t a programming language, I just think it& #39;s helpful for communication if "programming language" generally means something like the following:
"Meaningfully Turing complete language designed to allow the specification of an entire program".
HTML and CSS are just a fundamentally different category of thing to C or JavaScript.
That is not a value judgement, to anyone sensible. Of course, some people aren& #39;t sensible.
HTML and CSS are just a fundamentally different category of thing to C or JavaScript.
That is not a value judgement, to anyone sensible. Of course, some people aren& #39;t sensible.
What& #39;s also not sensible is baiting both people who understand this, and also people for whom this *is* a value judgement by saying they are programming languages, then showing how right and righteous you are by pointing at the (again, wrong and irritating) value judgers.
I& #39;m not some "well, actually" prick who thinks words, even fairly technical terms, have totally immutable formal meanings. This exchange:
"I& #39;m learning programming"
"Awesome, good for you, what language?"
"HTML"
"Cool! Hope you& #39;re enjoying it!"
paraphrases a real one I& #39;ve had.
"I& #39;m learning programming"
"Awesome, good for you, what language?"
"HTML"
"Cool! Hope you& #39;re enjoying it!"
paraphrases a real one I& #39;ve had.
And that& #39;s fine.
But amongst people who are experts, or anywhere close, it& #39;s just clearly more helpful if words have, y& #39;know, useful meanings. Is JSON a programming language? Is YAML? Is Markdown? These things have pretty similar expressive power to HTML.
But amongst people who are experts, or anywhere close, it& #39;s just clearly more helpful if words have, y& #39;know, useful meanings. Is JSON a programming language? Is YAML? Is Markdown? These things have pretty similar expressive power to HTML.
I only care enough to write this thread because most times I see this come up it& #39;s being made into a social justice issue, which is of course absurd. This is generally based on "more women do HTML/CSS, so a value judgement against HTML/CSS skills is sexist".
Which actually can be - and is often in practice - an example of sexism and exclusionary thinking in tech! But "HTML/CSS is a programming language" makes an adversary out of me when I could be an ally, because I think they aren& #39;t PLs, without that being a value judgement.
