Foot in yourself shoot [was: learning C]

[Werner Schiendl]

I particularly love the Unix example :-)

Steve Holden <sholden at holdenweb.com> wrote in message
news:eL5q6.45993$ML1.2000092 at e420r-atl2.usenetserver.com...
> "Chris Gonnerman" <chris.gonnerman at usa.net> wrote in message
> news:mailman.984146352.13033.python-list at python.org...
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: "Werner Schiendl" <ws-news at gmx.at>
> > Subject: Re: learning C
> [ ... ]
> > > Why not have a look at all of it and use what's suited for the
> application
> > > best?
> >
> > Like I said, been there, done that, couldn't afford the T-shirt.
Rewiring
> > my
> > brain for C++ is just too hard.  I'm glad that it works for you, and
many
> > others,
> > but there are also many like me that can't see why you are pushing so
> hard.
> > I
> > guess you just can't see our point of view, though I think I see yours
> just
> > fine.
> >
>
> I have for a long time been a pragmatist when it comes to language
choice --
> use the most appropriate language for a particular task, assuming the
> learning curve for a new language doesn't make it easier to use an
existing
> but somewhat less-appropriate one.
>
> The computing community has known for a long time that each language is
> better for some tasks than others, vide
>
>         http://www.cs.bgu.ac.il/~omri/Humor/shoot.html
>
> (quoted below). As with much good humo(u)r, there are real points of
> comparison available for those who care to look for them. I think the C++
> quote is especially relevant. To which I would only add:
>
> Python: After half an hour's design work you realise that foot is simply a
> special case of limb.extremity, so you use a standard library to solve
your
> problem!
>
> regards
>  Steve
>
> """
> The proliferation of modern programming languages (all of which seem to
have
> stolen countless features from one another) sometimes makes it difficult
to
> remember what language you're currently using. This handy reference is
> offered as a public service to help programmers who find themselves in
such
> a dilemma.
>
> TASK: Shoot yourself in the foot.
> C: You shoot yourself in the foot.
>
> C++: You accidentally create a dozen instances of yourself and shoot them
> all in the foot. Providing emergency medical assistance is impossible
since
> you can't tell which are bitwise copies and which are just pointing at
> others and saying, "That's me, over there."
> """
>
> [Many other languages omitted: follow the link if these are new to you].
>
>
>