Python advocacy

[Donn Cave]

Quoth "Brett g Porter" <BgPorter at NOacmSPAM.org>:
...
| I'm glad, as a C++ programmer, to be adding Python to my toolbox -- I don't
| see any reason to disparage C++ as Paul did. I agree that C++ is not the
| language for everyone or for every project, but I feel a lot better as a C++
| and Python programmer than I would knowing only one of those languages.

That's a good perspective, and I don't think it's really so different
from what I read in the article.  It's kind of hard to take an advocacy
position with an ``I'm OK, you're OK'' style, because we have to talk
about struggling against inertia and paths of least resistance to get
to a better place.  If we're all in a fine place now, what's the point?

These popular technologies need to be knocked hard!  But it doesn't
mean that as individuals or institutions we're morally flawed if we
learn to use them effectively, or worse yet enjoy it.  I can profit
from it, but just I can't say therefore it's good enough to be the
core technology for computing for the indefinite future.  That's where
advocacy kicks in, and it's great to see it stated in such an articulate
way in such a prominent place.

	Donn Cave, University Computing Services, University of Washington
	donn at u.washington.edu