[phawkins at connact.com: Re: python and applications]

[Gustavo Niemeyer]

Gustavo,

> >> libraries. C has no support for IO, garbage collections, dynamic
> >> memory allocation, etc...... Many thing that C "does" comes from
> >> external libraries. Being small, and without any kind of special
> >
> >So does python. What do you think you're doing when you use something
> >like "import sys" in your program? Yes, many of these libraries
> >are part of a "standard set", but that doesn't change things. You
> >have POSIX and other standards on the C side.
> 
> As i told, i am just a python beginner! You need not to get hungry.

I'm not hungry at all. I just don't agree with you, and explained
my arguments.

[...]
> I am enjoying python too. But C has a small learning curve, since it's
> very simple!If you think C is not simple, try C++. Important: i am not
> saying python is not simple.

Yes, I was comparing it with Python (we're in the python list).

> >> program. The most sofistaced feature C provides is loop (while, do
> >> while, for), the lowest level C feature are pointer. If you master
> >> pointer and loop in C, you may be concidered a C guru. the problem is
> >
> >Ouch... What's a feature for you?? If you're talking about the language
> >constructs, as far as I remember, Guido is always trying to have the
> >minimum possible set of language constructs in python (no do/while, no
> >switch, no enum, etc). I don't think this is a bad thing, but I don't
> >understand your position.
> 
> I am confused! Why python folks come up with version x, x.y, x.y.z and
> ++x, x.f, x.3! I don't really understand! Once the
> interpreter/compiler is written, there is no need to come up with new
> version, at least if you don't change the language. Is python immature
> yet? Please, don't get me wrong, i cannot really understand what is
> going. There is no need for new versions of a language if it's mature
> enough, right! As i told, C has only two versions, Standard and ANSI,
> the last one remains the same for years and i doubt something will
> change in the upcoming years.

Have you seen gcc 3.0? It's a compiler... compilers change all the time,
just like interpreters. Python is not as stable as C, no doubts. But
releasing new interpreters is usual, just like compiler releases. Even
because the standard library is part of the game.

Besides that, the C standards are not as static as you may think. The
latest one (from ISO) I know about was adopted officially in 1999. Some
of the changes were even borrowed from C++. ;-)

(have a look at http://web.onetelnet.ch/~twolf/tw/c/c9x_changes.html)

> >> that C++ is easier than C - All i do is laughting. Serious IT stuff
> >> never get project developed in C++.
> >
> >We have lots of well known projects developed in C++ (qt, apt, etc).
> 
> Being well known does not make a software good! MS Windows is well
> known! is it an OS you would put a critical service? I guess "being
> well knonw" is no argument to trust in order to declare some thing
> good.

QT is well done. Have a look by yourself.

> >C has very complex data types, from the point of view of a Python
> >programmer. As I told, these languages have different purposes and
> >one has to be careful when making such comparisions.
> 
> Sorry, i do not known a single one data type C naturally holds? The
> only types i known in C are: long, float, int (and its derivated). I
> don't really known anymore.

You can build anything with structs (yes, they are types as well). You
just don't have "out-of-the-box" lists, dictionaries and alike. That
kind of stuff *shouldn't* be part of lower level languages. As I told,
comparing C and Python at that level is useless.

-- 
Gustavo Niemeyer

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