Why is Python popular, while Lisp and Scheme aren't?

[Rocco Moretti]

"Johannes Grødem <johs+n at ifi.uio.no> wrote in message news:<lzznsipz4s.fsf at unity.copyleft.no>...
> * Carl Banks <imbosol at vt.edu>:
> 
> > Python uses infix notation for math.  Most humans were brought up to
> > understand infix.
> 
> Because Lisp has a powerful macro system, it is actually possible to
> have an infix-macro, which lets you use infix-syntax.  And you can
> write macros to support all sorts of weird syntax, if you want.

I've heard this argument a number of times, and have never really
bought it. To me it seems equivalent to saying "Because (Brainf*ck/
Intercal/ Unlambda/ Malbourge /etc) are Turing Complete, you can write
any program in them." Sure, you *can*, but why bother?

It's the same reason why using lists and dictionaries are so much
better in Python than in C. Sure, you *could* write your own type and
various accessory methods to do the same thing, but why should you
have to deal with the boilerplate code to make the language do it?

It's doubly hard when beginning Lisp books only teach the prefix
notation - the beginner could change it, but who, thus thouroghly
vexed, has the stamina to wait until chapter 23 to learn how? That's
why the common rebuttal directed toward Lisp critics is that they
don't *really* know the language. Lisp is a powerful language, but you
have to have the patience and the masochism to make it all the way to
chapter 23.

If-I-wasn't-lazy-I-would-be-doing-it-longhand