Why so few Python jobs?

[Grant Griffin]

In article <3BB4DB87.8600869E at ccvcorp.com>, Jeff says...
>tszeto wrote:
>
>>
>> Any ideas on why so few Python jobs are available?
>>
>
>My take, in addition to the many good reasons already mentioned, is that
>Python is so easy to learn, that when it *is* appropriate to use, it's usually
>simpler for the existing staff to learn Python as well (or for an otherwise
>qualified recruit to be taught Python), than to specifically hunt for someone
>already skilled in Python.
>
>Of course, if the company has a need for a *very* skilled Python programmer,
>then hiring specifically for that skill becomes reasonable.

Yeah.  But I hope I never have to maintain the code written by somebody like
that--doesn't the world have too many maps and lambdas as it is <wink>?

Although Python is quite easy to learn (for a C/C++ programmer), truly
"mastering" it takes awhile.  I've been writing Python for two years now, and
there still are many fine points I haven't mastered yet.

When I started with it (with version 1.5.2), Python already had several fairly
advanced constructs that the garden-variety programmer doesn't really need or
use.  But to make things worse, new constructs are coming along at a rate faster
than tiny-brained folks like me can master them.  For example, I haven't yet
taken the time and energy to really figure out what weak references are: I just
studied them long enough to determine that I can easily live withouth them.

Of course, since Python long ago had all the constructs you really need, and
since new syntactic sugar is specifically disallowed, the only category for new
constructs to fall into is "advanced".  (I resisted the temptation to use
"obscure" here <wink>).  In fact, the only two things added since Python 1.5.2
that are genuinely useful to me are augmented assignments and string methods.

But I guess all this is a compliment to Python in a way: a really good toy is
one whose mastery seems attainable, yet isn't.  (There's gotta be _some_ reason
people pay good money just to play golf <wink>.)

But apart from the "advanced", we have the "Pythonic".  This is perhaps of more
use, but seems to come only from time and experience.

somebody-oughtta-write-a-book-<wink>-ly y'rs,

=g2

_____________________________________________________________________

Grant R. Griffin                                       g2 at dspguru.com
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