[EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: > "Mike Meyer" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes: >> [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: >> > Different programming styles are appropriate for different >> > tasks, different times and different places, different people. >> > And like morality, government, or economics, I do not believe >> > that one style of programming fits all situations. >> If I read you right, what you're saying is that hammmers aren't good >> at driving screws. I don't think anyone would argue about that. > No, the analogy is more like this. Python is hammer that comes > in green or blue. The hammer's developers say (perhaps with > some reason) that cool colors like green and blue are the best > colors because they promote calm when used. Calm hammerers > are more productive and less violent. My work is > repairing the inside of dark water tanks. It is hard to see blue > and green hammers, and to find them if I put them down. > I suggest that Python have the option of red hammers.
So you're suggesting a fundamental change to the nature of Python. It's inherently a blue/green language. Making it available in Red violates the spirit and philosphy of the language, which is why: > The Python people respond with horror, pointing out the problems > with red hammers. In other words, there are reasons that python doesn't come in red, and they will gladly tell you what they are. > Regarding the differences between hammers and screwdrivers... > When a screwdriver is appropriate I use a screwdriver. If I > need to write code that does a large amount of CPU intensive > number crunching, I use C, not Python. Yes. And if you need a red hammmer, you should get a red hammer, not use red spray paint on one that wasn't designed to be red. Just because *you* don't see how providing a red option violates the philosophy of python doesn't mean that it doesn't do so. >> > This has the benefit of attracting more people to Python. >> And why is this a benefit? > More eyeballs to find bugs. More hands to make improvements. > More minds to make suggestions. More hearts to share the joy. :-) More people to try and turn the hammer into a screwdriver, more people to insist that the bike shed be red, etc. If popularity were inherently a good thing, I'd be writing VB on Windows. <mike -- Mike Meyer <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> http://www.mired.org/home/mwm/ Independent WWW/Perforce/FreeBSD/Unix consultant, email for more information. -- http://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/python-list
