These kind of popularity metrics really leave a sour taste in my mouth, regardless of the results. They're just so lacking in rigor of even the mildest degree that it's not even worth considering what they "discover".
If any language is to be the "language of the decade", it ought to be C, and possibly C++. C or C++ still power basically every piece of truly important software, even today in 2013. The major operating system kernels, userlands, compilers, interpreters (including Python's main implementation!), network servers, and web browsers, are all written in one or both of them, for example. And that's not including the many embedded and industrial uses of C that aren't very visible at all.
Until some other languages offer the same full-stack experience, and are actually used for writing critical, widely-used software, I don't think we can label any languages but C and C++ as the "language of the year", or "language of the decade", or even "language of the century" and beyond.
While I agree that such metrics don't mean much, if anything at all, the notion that C/C++ should be "languages of the decade" because they "still power basically every piece of truly important software" doesn't make much sense. You might as well declare James Maxwell scientist of the decade because electricity still powers basically every piece of truly important equipment.
> You might as well declare James Maxwell scientist of the decade because electricity still powers basically every piece of truly important equipment.
I'm all for it.
Proponents of 'x' label 'x' the best thing in this decade is a lot less objective than your astute observation that electricity indeed still powers basically every piece of truly important equipment.
"C or C++ still power basically every piece of truly important software, even today in 2013"
I doubt that; here, for example, is a truly important software system that is not written in C++ (and I suspect it would be a lot more dangerous if it had been):
"The new iFACTS system will use a program designed and implemented with the SPARK Ada language"
What's the current status of this project? I worked with someone who worked for many years on air traffic control software, it was thousands of developers, zero productivity, huge delays and budget overruns. Air traffic control software aids air traffic controllers but it's not as mission critical as the embedded software in the plane itself or in your car or pacemaker.
As far as I know, the system was fully deployed in 2011. I am not sure if it lived up to its promises (I am not an air traffic control person).
Regarding the software that controls an airplane, is that being written in C++? It is not too hard to find a counterexample there; Boeing wrote the software for the 777 jet in Ada. I would be very wary of any aircraft whose control software is written in C++, unless it was written some small, unambiguous subset of C++ (which would exclude most language features anyway). Likewise with medical implants, automotive systems, or anything other case in which failure might cause death.
If any language is to be the "language of the decade", it ought to be C, and possibly C++. C or C++ still power basically every piece of truly important software, even today in 2013. The major operating system kernels, userlands, compilers, interpreters (including Python's main implementation!), network servers, and web browsers, are all written in one or both of them, for example. And that's not including the many embedded and industrial uses of C that aren't very visible at all.
Until some other languages offer the same full-stack experience, and are actually used for writing critical, widely-used software, I don't think we can label any languages but C and C++ as the "language of the year", or "language of the decade", or even "language of the century" and beyond.