Wookash Podcast Odin creator Ginger Bill on his programming language and state of software!
Dec 19, 2024
Bill Hall, aka Ginger Bill, is the creator of the Odin programming language and an ex-physicist at JangaFX. He shares the origins of Odin as a user-friendly C alternative, emphasizing its pragmatic design and built-in safety features. Bill dives into Odin's unique data types, the importance of allocator strategies, and its growing adoption in the industry. He expresses concern over modern software’s decline in quality and discusses how his physics background influences his programming philosophy. Plus, he offers advice for aspiring language developers!
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Humble, Drunken Origins
- Bill started Odin in 2016 as a drunk pet project and livestreamed development on Twitch.
- The project grew organically and is now used professionally, including at JangaFX where Bill works.
Organic Growth From Pragmatism
- Odin's low-marketing, pragmatic approach attracts pragmatic users who want the language to 'get out of the way.'
- Bill prefers simplicity and longevity over hype and flashy features.
Weigh Open Source Costs Carefully
- Consider closed or staged releases for language projects to avoid overwhelming open-source maintenance costs.
- Open source invites many low-quality PRs and expectations that can overload maintainers.
