Python Popularity: Questions and Comments

[Arthur Siegel]

Paul writes - 

>I'm concerned by the historical precedents. What language have you ever
>heard of that took over the universe slowly and quietly? They tend to do
>it in a big bang, following some trend like Unix or the Web or mobile
>computing. If there is ever a "big bang" associated with a language in
>Python's class, Python could be overshadowed. For instance if PHP had
>been better designed as a general purpose programming language, and had
>had support from a big corporation (e.g. Sun), it might be the "default
>language" in the scripting world today.


My belief is that Python *is* different. 

That it is, has two implications.

A) Its niche is secure
B) Its future cannot be predicted by reference to past models.

By my lights, Python is the glue language extraordinaire.  Using the 
'glue' reference both in terms of its technical implications, and 
beyond.

It is extraordinarily useful as the glue holding together interdisciplinary
approaches to problem solving.

That's sort of a complex niche.  Its growth will be evolutionary
rather than at internet speed.

I'm talking as if I know.  Which of course I don't. But frankly I wouldn't
be here with as much interest as I have,  if I thought we were only 
dealing with another cool programming language.

Art