The reason why you want popularity is because they write libraries for you. That means you can worry about something more interesting than an HTTP parser. Or, it means that if you want to write an HTTP parser, lots of people will help you.
If you are the only person in the world and refuse to collaborate with anyone, then it doesn't really matter what language you use. Except, of course, the compiler and runtime are libraries, and you had better be prepared to maintain those, too.
> If you are the only person in the world and refuse to collaborate with anyone, then it doesn't really matter what language you use.
Yup! And FWIW, I wrote an HTTP parser. And webserver. And DNS server. Amongst other bits and pieces I needed for Mibbit.
Programming isn't rocket science, I think more people should write everything themselves rather than rely on 3rd party libraries personally.
Yes, it's an investment to write your own libraries, but you end up knowing more, being able to maintain/fix bugs far easier, and often ending up with a far better solution.
If you are the only person in the world and refuse to collaborate with anyone, then it doesn't really matter what language you use. Except, of course, the compiler and runtime are libraries, and you had better be prepared to maintain those, too.