Java malware served to users of Yahoo.com via adverts

[SteveRiley]

Compiled or not I was informed that compiled languages are the "in-thang".

Nothing about a language makes it intrinsically compiled or interpreted. Compiling to machine code involves translation, of course, and certain languages may have extensions that are machine- or OS-specific. Compilation (and subsequent linking) creates static binaries. Interpreted languages can be more dynamic and programs written in these languages can actually self-modify.

Compiler design is a typical element of a computer science degree -- I had two quarters of it. But outside academia (i.e., in the real world), C and C++ are by far the most popular true compile-to-machine-code languages that I read about in day-to-day use.

I was also informed that Python can be compiled too?

Indeed. Most compiled implementations translate the source into a bytecode executed by a runtime environment. Alternative implementations translate the source into other high-level languages, which are then interpreted or compiled.

[woodsmoke]

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[GreyGeek]

.... Compilation (and subsequent linking) creates static binaries. ...

True, but compilation can also create dynamic binaries that call on installed libraries (*.so in Linux) that are much smaller than statically linked binaries. This is how Kubuntu and most other distros work. Static binaries, which contain in the ELF binary copies of the functions used by the app are much bigger is size than dynamic binaries but are independent of any installed libraries so they can run on any ELF compliant system.

..... But outside academia (i.e., in the real world), C and C++ are by far the most popular true compile-to-machine-code languages that I read about in day-to-day use.

Very true. Since C++ encompasses C, anyone who learns C++ has learned C as well, except they don't have to fake classes or polymorphism.

[SteveRiley]

True, but compilation can also create dynamic binaries that call on installed libraries (*.so in Linux) that are much smaller than statically linked binaries. This is how Kubuntu and most other distros work. Static binaries, which contain in the ELF binary copies of the functions used by the app are much bigger is size than dynamic binaries but are independent of any installed libraries so they can run on any ELF compliant system.

All very true. I wasn't, though, referring to static vs. dynamic libraries. I was referring to the program code itself. Once compiled, a program cannot modify itself while the system is executing it. However, programs written in interpreted languages can modify themselves during execution.