[PRL] the "success" of types

[Richard Cobbe]

On Fri, May 19, 2006 at 12:33:46PM -0400, William D Clinger wrote:

> Matthias, speaking of impure functional programming:
> > 4. When this style of programming started leaping into mainstream
> > languages (and will continue to move over), type checking there started
> > to make sense.
> 
> Soon after Nixon resigned, type checking of imperative programs
> started to make sense.  Java's superior type safety became a real
> threat to C++ when Clinton was impeached.  If Dubya's approval
> ratings continue to decline, we should expect further technical
> improvements.

?

I'm sorry, I'm not getting your point here.

It looks like you're claiming that developments in type systems for
industrially popular languages have as much to do with American politics
as they do with bringing FP techniques and styles into those languages
-- that is to say, they're unrelated.

Is that a fair summary?

Richard