Erlang will replace Java in the next 2 years as the standard for Enterprise Applications

No, it won't. OO has ruled the roost in the so-called Enterprise space for nigh-on 20 years now. Java hasn't (yet?) fully displaced C++ in 10 years despite, for this specific class of application, have several clear advantages. This is as much cultural as technological. Large corporations have a morbid (and self-fulfilling) paranoia about staff turnover and have adopted technologies such as OO because it is far easier to manage a hundred average coders each of whom has a clear boundary (the object) than it is to manage 10 rocket scientists. The power of the functional paradigm comes with a steep learning curve, there's no way around that.

No it won't (this coming from someone who loves Erlang and has worked full-time with it for a year).<p>There has been way too much invested in both Java <i>and</i> conventional OOP for them to be displaced that fast. 2 years may be a long time in startup world, but in the enterprise world it's nothing.<p>Ruby has been growing rapidly for the last 3 years, and it's still nowhere as popular as Java. And Ruby's marketing has been way better than Erlang's.

What a classic linkbait submission title.

Java is still the standard language in the vast majority of CS programs. Lots of programmers entering the enterprise only know Java, and if they know more languages they definitely don't know Erlang.<p>Certainly demand for Erlang programmers will increase over time...

No.<p>Where are the plethora of libraries for Erlang that Java enjoy?<p>Java is great because you can stand of shoulders of people releasing brilliant libraries.<p>Who cares about Availability, Performance, Scalability ... if you can't ship?

I will replace Jesus in the next 2 years as the standard for Western deities.

Enterprises move slowly. 2 years is no time in the enterprise world. How many Erlang programmers are there? I love learning new languages, but there are a lot of crusty programmers out there who refuse to update their skill set - and they're often entrenched in enterprise settings.<p>This next part will probably some change over time. Erlang is slower than Java - even with the HiPE JIT compiler. Erlang's performance is more akin to Python. Plus, as much as I protest, "enterprisey" people seem to have a love affair with static typing. They also have a love affair for nicely UML-diagrammed objects and Erlang is functional.<p>But the most important reason why this won't happen is that the majority of "enterprisey" systems I know of are a ton less reliable than consumer systems. "Enterprisey" has become the term I associate with needing to have a programmer on call for. This might sound stupid, but so many programmers I know worry about job security - mostly because they won't upgrade their skill set. Something that obsoletes the need for them to babysit applications eats at that security.<p>Erlang will get (more) popular. Lots love the functional paradigm. It's really well implemented, reliable, etc. It just won't displace Java quickly, if ever.

The 2 year aspect of the argument is a bit absurd. These changes just do not happen that fast, especially with sqillions of entrenched java developers in the enterprise.<p>He also argues that Erlang has "already penetrated the enterprise." Might seem that way if you work at Ericsson, but otherwise I can't imagine making this statement.

This is not going to happen in 2 years, inertia is too high. Imagine all those projects that have just started now that aren't even out of analysis yet?

If there were a public market for predictions, I'd short-sell this one.<p>Not saying it couldn't happen, but the odds are highly against it.

Scala is more likely perhaps? Since it builds on the JAVA platform but is a much more flexible language(functional/OO hybrid) and offers several ways of doing concurrency(including Erlang-ish message-passing/Acor model).<p>Not sure how limited the concurrency model of Scala is by the underlying architecture though.

Wow do I wish betting markets had that title as a wager.

COBOL. That is all.

"Yeah, and monkeys might fly out of my butt."