The future of Haskell

Most successful languages spread because they are part of a platform which solves an IT problem. C was part of Unix, both brougth CPU independence when this was necessary. Java is part of the Java platform, that brougth OS independence and interoperability at the right time. Download-execution on the client was also a reason for the initial success of Java in the Internet era. Javascript is part of the web browser. The .NET languages are part of NET. Rubi and Pyton came with libraries targeted to Rapid development of Internet applications.

What is the vehicle that haskell can use to enter the mainstream?. I think that the mere interest of the ideas in the language is not enough. Many people will play with Haskell in the spare time, and many of them will be permitted to develop some non critical applications at work. But that is all. Java was not designed for the Internet but it was re-targeted to it because some needed features where already implemented in Java. Maybe something like that will happen to Haskell.

I think that all the current niches are filled, but new niches are coming. specially with higher level programming that is made on top of current software infrastructure such are BPM, workflows, more flexible scientific applicatins, creation of models in business intelligence, as part of ERPs,.Data mining too. And higuer levels of netwrok communications( for example, Google Wave robots) etc.

About the last point, sometimes a basically identical infrastructure is re-engineered to a higher level, and a new language takes over. For example, the architecture of many Internet applications in the 80s was client-server based, where C, C++ was the king. This was substituted by the web architecture with Java because Java was involved in the gradual change by filling the holes of the new architecture. It could be that in a few years, instead of Web sites people could develop interoperable gadgets for aggregators such are netvibes or IGoogle or, even more radical, robots and gadgets in google Wave. Anyway, for sure, people will think and develop at a higher level.

Financial applications are an example of higher level programming where tasks usually performed by humans are now automatized and there is no or few traditions about that. The need to think at a higher level without being worried by side effects and other details are specially needed in such kind of areas. That's where haskell could have its own niche.

Regards