Python vs. C++ Builder - speed of development

[Brandon Van Every]

Alex Martelli wrote:
> So both factors are ruled out,
> period -- and your contention remains simply wrong.

I will take your data point under advisement, and compare it to my
experiences when someday I finally get to the "Python" stage of my game
project.  Right now I'm still in the C++ / math / 3D engine stage.  I really
do feel that most of my time right now is spent on design, and that no
language would allow me to code any more rapidly than any other.  C++ just
doesn't represent significant overhead for my current case use.

Admittedly, I did just kill a whole pile of "const" declarations for a
container class because it was proving to be far more trouble than it was
worth.  I'd gone back and forth on that issue 2 or 3 times, changed a whole
bunch of declarations in a whole bunch of files 2 or 3 times.  Finally
decided that any perceived efficiency or safety that const might provide was
not worth it.  My one really huge gripe about C++ is how badly it handles
constness for array construction.  Sure if you do enough "placement new" you
can solve it, but what a pain in the ass.

If you Keep It Simple Stupid in C++, it ain't that bad.

> Transliterating into Python yielded about twice the productivity
> wrt C++ (main gains: no worry about who owns what, no casts
> needed, nested functions, everything works "template-like", i.e.
> with signature-based polymorphism, without all of the syntax
> cruft; only small cost, since PyChecker didn't exist at the time,
> having to run the unit tests even to catch typos -- but that one
> didn't have a measurable impact, 'twas just a small annoyance).

You're naming a whole bunch of language features that I simply don't use.  I
know *how* to use them, I simply choose not to.  I avoid unnecessary
complexity, and I'm doing solo development.  Maybe it's fairer to say that
Python yields more advantages in a cooperative environment.  Whereas if you
can be your own Code Nazi, C++ can work fine.

--
Cheers,                         www.3DProgrammer.com
Brandon Van Every               Seattle, WA

20% of the world is real.
80% is gobbledygook we make up inside our own heads.