[Edu-sig] Bionic Snaketalk (proposed metaphorics)

[kirby urner]

So I'm thinking of using this analogy today:

MOLECULES

Data structures, starting from primitive number types, are like
the molecules and macromolecules of life, the beginnings of
organic chemistry.

MICRO-ORGANISMS

Functions, recently augmented with generators, are like the
unicellular organisms on up to quite a few cells, but still quite
simple.

SKELETAL CREATURES

Classes, though potentially very simple, provide the framework
favored by the truly well endowed creatures, like Mammals
(yes I'm applying a bias).

Example application:

In a language like Java, we're always extending the class
framework, extending a tree rooted in the foundation object
(Python has one too), and spreading overhead into the
hugeness of the Java class library (complete with Applet
and Swing branches).

Someone coming from Java, looking at Python, might
exclaim:  wow, how prehistoric!  The mitochondria still have
an independent existence, their own street addresses."

What this means of course, is that in Python we still have
top level life forms of the pre-class variety, just as we suspect
mitochondria used to have independent lives outside the
confines of cells.

http://micro.magnet.fsu.edu/cells/mitochondria/images/mitochondriafigure1.jpg
[ image of a single mitochondrion, matrix exposed ]

Kirby