Beating the Averages

Paul Graham’s essay Beating the Averages argues that programming language choice significantly impacts startup success.

The Core Insight

“Programming languages vary in power”—contrary to conventional wisdom treating them as equivalent. More powerful languages enable developers to accomplish tasks that would be difficult or impossible in less capable ones.

The Blub Paradox

Programmers become comfortable with their current language and cannot recognize superior alternatives. A programmer using a mid-level language “doesn’t realize he’s looking up” when encountering more powerful options.

You can’t see what you’re missing if you’ve never experienced it.

Viaweb’s Strategy

Graham and Robert Morris built their web-based store software primarily in Lisp because:

• Server-based applications eliminated desktop software constraints
• Rapid development was critical in a competitive market
• Lisp’s abstraction level reduced team size and costs
• Competitors wouldn’t recognize the advantage

Lisp’s Unique Power

Macros in Lisp enable “programs that write programs,” providing capabilities unavailable in mainstream languages. About 20-25% of Viaweb’s code utilized this feature.

The Competitive Edge

Non-obvious technology choices create advantages precisely because competitors won’t understand or replicate them effectively.

My Takeaway

Startups should prioritize technological superiority over conventional practices, especially when competitors remain locked into mainstream choices.

What unconventional technology choices have given you an advantage? I’d love to hear at persdre@gmail.com.