Fortunately Firefox

JavaScript is a popular programming language, to say the least.

Aside from known strengths and weaknesses, it is the de facto standard programming language for web browsing clients.

Firefox is renowned for keeping up with web standards, JavaScript included.

The page cited below describes the new features of JavaScript 1.7.

New in JavaScript 1.7 - MDC

JavaScript 1.7 has become extra relevant this year. That is because next month, Firefox 2.0 is going to be released.

What version of JavaScript comes in Firefox 2.0, you ask?

That is right - you guessed it. It is JavaScript 1.7.

The neat features introduced this time include:

• Iterators
• Generators
• Array Comprehensions
• Let statement (specially scoped variable assignments)

Schematron, the well-known assertion/rule based XML standard for validating XML files by defining assert/report rules also recently added support for a let statement that has a similar purpose/usage.

Iterators are familiar to everybody; C++, Java, Python, and other programming language users.

Generators are familiar at least to Python programmers, as are list comprehensions.

One of the driving forces behind JavaScript 1.7 recently described Python as a major influence on the design of the JavaScript 1.7 language additions.

Being well-versed in a number of programming languages is beginning to pay off.

You learn several when they start to become well-used by early adopters. You then get to be experienced at using a brand-new feature in a brand-new language version - because it is not new to you anymore.

I think it is usually easier to lead the target than to chase the target.

That is just me, though.