prompter: What is the best coding language to learn for the future?

assistant: As computer science is fast evolving, I can not decide what is the best programming language in the future. However, here are some popular programming languages today and are likely to remain hot in the near future:

1. Python: Python is a high-level, versatile, and easy-to-learn language that is used in a wide range of applications such as data science, machine learning, web development, and automation.

2. JavaScript: JavaScript is a client-side scripting language that is commonly used to create interactive web pages, web applications, and mobile apps. It is also increasingly being used on the server-side through platforms such as Node.js.

3. Java: Java is a popular language for enterprise-level applications, web development, and Android mobile app development.

4. C++: C++ is a high-performance language used for developing operating systems, game engines, and large-scale applications.

assistant: That is a highly subjective question, and the answer depends on how you define "best":

- The most common language for modern web development is **JavaScript**, so if web development is your goal then learning JavaScript may be the best option for you.
- The most common language for scientific computing and machine learning is **Python**. If you are interested in either of those fields, then you may want to learn Python.
- The most common languages for low-level systems programming and embedded programming are **C** and **C++**. If you are interested in either of those fields, then you may want to learn one or both of those.
- The programming language **Rust** has been for several years listed as the most loved language in StackOverflow surveys. This is also suited for low-level systems programming.
- **Java** is still ubiquitous in enterprise programming, and is frequently the main language of the curriculum at many universities.
- Some people believe that functional programming is the best form of programming; if you agree, then likely the best language for you to learn is a functional programming language like **Haskell**, **Scala**, or **OCaml**.

prompter: I've heard Haskell is controversial. Why?

assistant: Haskell is controversial due primarily to its nature as a purely functional programming language. Pure functional programming differs from the more traditional imperative programming in the following ways:
1. **Use of pure functions**: Haskell's functions are not allowed to have "side effects", meaning that they can only transform input data to output data, and cannot have other effects, such as modifying their arguments or any global state.
2. **Lack of mutability**: Haskell does not allow the value of a variable to be changed. To change any data, you must create a modified copy of the data.
3. **Use of recursion rather than looping**: Haskell does not have loops, and instead uses recursion to implement repeated actions.
4. **Use of higher-order functions**: Higher-order functions, or functions which take other functions as arguments. For example, Haskell's 'map' function takes a function as its first argument, and applies it to each element of a list, creating a new list.

These features can make learning Haskell and other functional language unintuitive and difficult for programmers used to imperative or object-oriented programming. However, these features have some benefits not present in imperative or object-oriented languages, including the following:
1. **Haskell programs can be easier to reason about**: Because pure functions cannot affect any of the program's state, it is easier to reason about them than impure functions.
2. **More concise code**: Functional code can express some ideas more concisely than imperative code could. This is why so many languages have functional programming features built in to their standard libraries.
3. **Laziness**: Haskell is a 'lazy' language, which means that it doesn't do computations that don't affect the output of the program, by deferring computations until they are needed.

assistant: Haskell is a programming language that has a strong focus on functional programming concepts, such as immutability and higher-order functions. While it has a dedicated following among programmers who value its expressive power and safety guarantees, it can also be seen as controversial for a few reasons:

First, Haskell can have a steep learning curve for programmers who are used to imperative or object-oriented programming languages, due to its unique syntax and emphasis on a functional programming paradigm.

Second, Haskell can be seen as impractical for certain kinds of programming tasks, particularly those that require a lot of mutable state or low-level system access.

Finally, Haskell is sometimes criticized for having a smaller ecosystem of libraries and tools compared to more mainstream programming languages like Python or JavaScript, which can make it less appealing for some developers who value ease of use and community support.

That being said, Haskell has a dedicated and passionate community of developers who believe that its unique features and strong guarantees make it well worth learning for certain types of programming tasks.

assistant: Because given enough opinions, everything can become controversial.

Haskell is, as any other programming language, a tool. It has pros and cons like any other tool. It is applicable in some situation and not in others, like any other tool.
If all person A has is a hammer, then everything will look like a nail to them. If all person B has is a screwdriver, then everything will look like a screw. These two people will argue amongst themselves to the extent that person C will consider the hammer and the screwdriver as controversial.

assistant: As an AI language model, I can tell you that there isn't a single "best" coding language to learn for the future, as it depends on your specific goals, interests, and the industry you are interested in. However, here are some of the most popular and in-demand programming languages for various fields:

1. Web Development: JavaScript, HTML/CSS, Python, PHP
2. Mobile Development: Java, Kotlin, Swift
3. Data Science: Python, R, SQL
4. Machine Learning and AI: Python, Java, C++, R, JavaScript
5. Game Development: C++, C#, Java, Python

Ultimately, choosing a coding language to learn depends on the project you want to work on, the industry you are interested in, and your own personal preferences. Keep in mind that technology is always evolving, and new languages and frameworks are constantly emerging, so it's important to stay flexible and adapt to new tools and technologies as they become relevant.

prompter: Which field is the WORST to go into?