Python vs. C#

[Brian Quinlan]

> Compiler checking is a kind of test that is done for you all the time,
> without you having to reimplement it over and over again.

The design of the .NET framework minimizes the utility of static type
checking by using the object class all over the place. When you wish to
use an instance of class object you must cast it into an appropriate
type. The validity of the cast is determined at runtime. Almost all of
the collection classes, for example, deal in "object"s.

> I agree that people should write tests, but having written many, many 
> of those for my own project, it is equally true that writing test 
> cases slows down development.

I think that depends on how efficient you are at writing tests. Python
offers a great testing framework to help you.

> Anything that provides testing "for free" is a boon.

It is not free. You are accepting several limitations (e.g. object must
conform to a particular interface to be useable, all types must be
specified) to get a type of checking that is of questionable value.

> Big projects are filled with the bell curve.  Not to mention stress
under
> deadlines, which ruins the code of even good programmers.

Cheers,
Brian