Could Python supplant Java?

[James J. Besemer]

Duncan Booth wrote:

> There is a cost to static typing as well as a benefit. I hope we can agree
> on that.

Agreed.

> You think that the benefits of static typing outweigh the drawbacks. I am
> not convinced. My experience shows me that strong dynamic typing leads to
> faster development of reliable code than either strong static typing or
> weak dynamic typing. My experience may be insufficient.

I think neither alternative wins all the time.

There are trade-offs and which alternative is more economical depends on a
variety of circumstances.

Given the nature of this audience, one would expect experiences and opinons to
be heavily biased in favor of dynamic typing, right or wrong.

> Definitely, Python is one tool, Java is another, C++ is another, ...
> You definitely want to have enough knowledge of a range of tools to be able
> to make an informed decision over which one to use and when to use it.

Absolutely.  I think Python is great and I use it for a lot of things but I've
always maintained that different languages are better for different
applications and the more tools you're proficient with the more likely you'll
be able to deploy the best one in a given circumstances.

Regards

--jb

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James J. Besemer  503-280-0838 voice
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