Part of a discussion on measuring language quality and utility on LtU.

There are two types of programmers: those who like to solve problems, and those who just like to be in control.

Problem solvers like bugs, it's a new problem to set your teeth into. Control freaks hate bugs, they just lost a bit of control.

Problem solvers like high level languages, those languages let them focus on the problem better. Control freaks like low level languages, those languages give them a finer grained control.

Problem solvers like learning other languages. New languages give opportunities to solve more problems than before. Control freaks hate learning other languages. Switching to a new language means a huge drop in control.

Historically programming was only for the control freaks, code needed fine tuning to be of any use. That's why a lot of senior programmers stick to C, they are control freaks.

Hardware gives the problem solvers more and more the advantage, so ultimately the low level languages will mostly disappear. But this will take a while as long as the older control freak generation make the important decisions.