Python advocacy

[Brett g Porter]

"Ran" <ran at netgate.net> wrote in message
news:38BF6169.46FC6A66 at netgate.net...
> Each applications area has characteristics that make some languages
> "ideal",  others "problematic",  and sometimes even some of them
> "dangerous" to use.
>
> And the same applies to developers:  different people have different
> approaches to solving problems.  Some languages will fit a particular
> person's temperament and abilities,  and some won't.

Bonnie Nardi's book "A Small Matter of Programming" deals with both these
points in pretty great detail.
http://www1.fatbrain.com/asp/bookinfo/bookinfo.asp?theisbn=0262140535 sez:
A Small Matter of Programming : Perspectives on End User Computing
By Nardi, Bonnie A.
162 Pages
Published by MIT Press
Date Published: 09/1993
ISBN: 0262140535
Summary
A Small Matter of Programming asks why it has been so difficult for end
users to command programming power and explores the problems of end
user-driven application development. Drawing on empirical research on
existing end user systems, A Small Matter of Programming analyzes cognitive,
social, and technical issues of end user programming. In particular, it
examines the importance of task-specific programming languages, visual
application frameworks, and collaborative work practices for end user
computing, with the goal of helping designers and programmers better satisfy
the needs of end users who want the capability to create, customize, and
extend their applications software.
----

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.

A-uniter-not-a-divider-ly y'rs
-- BgP