There were better languages but Unix won, and with that - C. A mistake we (whoever “we” are) repeated with JavaScript - we let the language win that was “there”, not the one we really needed.
Worse is better. Ease of deployment over ease of development.
As for the Q: why design languages with null (that is - incomplete or flawed type systems) now? I have o idea. I think the reasoning is that “worse is better” succeeded for JS, php, C, so it’s a viable path.
“Maybe an X” and “Definitely an X” are more different than string and number. If a language pretends string and number are distinct but at the same time has no distiction for “maybe X” - then it doesn’t have a very good type system.
Note that it doesn’t necessarily need to avoid null values for this. Non-nullables is mostly equivalent although less elegant. That is, “String s” means a string or null, while “String! s” means a non-null string (example from a C# vNext syntax).
It does - but I think sometimes somethinb should have “won” that solved the short term problem 95% as well, but solves the problems over the next 4 decades better The Q is why individuals and companies would pay short term for gains to others.
Kotlin has null, but also nullability in the type system. They kept it in for interop purposes. Also, optionality is very common, so having it integrated into the language makes it more convenient and efficient.
Worse is better. Ease of deployment over ease of development.
As for the Q: why design languages with null (that is - incomplete or flawed type systems) now? I have o idea. I think the reasoning is that “worse is better” succeeded for JS, php, C, so it’s a viable path.
“Maybe an X” and “Definitely an X” are more different than string and number. If a language pretends string and number are distinct but at the same time has no distiction for “maybe X” - then it doesn’t have a very good type system.
Note that it doesn’t necessarily need to avoid null values for this. Non-nullables is mostly equivalent although less elegant. That is, “String s” means a string or null, while “String! s” means a non-null string (example from a C# vNext syntax).