Bengt Richter wrote: > On Sat, 10 Sep 2005 16:55:51 +0200, "Martin P. Hellwig" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > wrote: > > >>Stefano Masini wrote: >><cut reinventing wheel example> >> >>Although I'm not experienced enough to comment on python stuff itself I >>do know that in general there are 2 reasons that people reinvent the wheel: >>- They didn't know of the existence of the first wheel >>- They have different roads > > > - They want the feeling that they are in the same league as the original > inventor ;-) > > >>Those reasons can even be combined. >> >>The more difficult it is to create a new wheel the bigger the chance is >>that you: >>- Search longer for fitting technologies >>- Adapt your road > > - Think more carefully about ego satisfaction cost/benefit vs getting the > job done ;-) > Indeed, the simple answer to the original question is "because they can". Python as a language attracts many people who aren't already familiar with programming methods, which is why this list sees many questions with relatively simple answers. I love the way the responses determinedly refuse to put the questioners down for the simplicity of the questions: we all have to learn, after all.
Generally as we get more experienced in programming we will spend a much larger amount of time looking for (and carefully evaluating) existing solutions to a problem, and rather less time trying to write our own code to solve a problem. Python's elegance and simplicity encourages people with less programming experience to attempt solutions to larger problems, albeit with varying degrees of success. So, despite the language's "There should be one (and preferably only one) obvious way to do it" philosophy, we often end up with many "competing" solutions to a given problem. While this can sometimes be tedious, it's probably an overall indication of Python's health. regards Steve -- Steve Holden +44 150 684 7255 +1 800 494 3119 Holden Web LLC http://www.holdenweb.com/ -- http://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/python-list
