Progress in top 100 programming languages

Given those criteria and methods, it is surprising it

shows up at all. I wonder what the rankings would be like based on

number of users with Progress at 5 million.

Its a great result!!

Progress in like a bullet at 105 (apparently) in Software Company list.

http://ursanoop.rediffiland.com/scripts/xanadu_diary_view.php?postId=1172227967

The 5 million users ! 100,000 sites, 2000 AP's are great results

In another comparison MS-Office has upwards of ~400 million users.

... there's a hundred to one pattern that keeps repeating itself.

But my question is how are they calculated ?

For example, does a company that purchased Progress V6 15 years back without maint support and who knows what are they using now still counted ?

Does every APs that ever worked with Progress, that may be doing something different nowadays counted ? and so on.

I know the numbers still have to be pretty big because of the licenses and maint support fees, and OpenEdge is still the biggest division in Progress.

Really kind of silly to compare Office with Progress, don't you think?

Even silly to compare ABL and Java since the vast bulk of Java applications aren't the kind of market for which ABL was designed.

And comparing it to, for example, PHP and JavaScript isn't ? especially by users. Practically every one who owns a computer is a user, housewives, senior citizens, even 5 year olds.

I meant to give more of a perspective on how much or how little is 5 million users compared to one of MS huge install base.

But you're right I get the point. Perhaps languages that are closer to Progress's domain would make more sense.

And the real point relative to that list, if there is any at all, is that there are a bunch of esoteric languages which get a lot of press because they are interesting and trendy, but for which there are not a lot of users sitting in seats using them. But, they are visible and ABL isn't. So, what is the significance?

And the real point relative to that list, if there is

any at all, is that there are a bunch of esoteric

languages which get a lot of press because they are

interesting and trendy, but for which there are not a

lot of users sitting in seats using them. But, they

are visible and ABL isn't. So, what is the

significance?

Personally I think the only reason is EGO ... Yes, its the old school boy (girl) attitude (Nah, nah - my language is used by more than yours!!!"

Murray

PS Its also used for recruitment

Well, I don't know that the people who compile the list are necessarily trying to make one language or another come out as popular. Rather, they have just said, "I wonder what will happen if we measure this?" and gone ahead and measured it and published the results. They haven't really stopped to ask themselves of whether it is meaningful or not ... well, I suppose they have noticed since there are some disclaimers, but it hasn't been noticed enough for them to consider not continuing to post it.

This kind of pseudo-science happens all the time ... even amongst a lot of people who should know better. I can't tell you how many times I have read professional scientific papers in juried publications in which there was no discernible reason why the measurements and analysis had been done in the first place and no real conclusions drawn from the result. Just numbers on a page with no significance. Of course, I don't know if that is more embarrassing or not than the people who have analyzed data with errors in it and then reached "profound", but spurious conclusions ... but that is a different story!

I sent an email to the owner of tiobe.com.

Here's my email:

I just wanted to know what words / exceptions are used by your analyzer to find the “Progress” language on the Internet. Prior to version 10, it was named “Progress 4GL”, since version 10(two or three years ago), it’s official name is “OpenEdge ABL” or “ABL” or “Advanced Business Language” (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Progress_4GL)

Here's his answer:

We just use the query "Progress programming". I will add "Progress 4GL", "ABL" and "Advanced Business Language" to it. May be Progress will enter the top 50 then. Currently, Progress is at position 55 moving up from position 60 last year.

There is hope, fellow Progress people :c)

Wow. Great effort !