Python use growing or shrinking

[Terry Hancock]

 Padraig at Linux.ie wrote:
> Chris Keyes wrote:
>> IBM will never use Python for everything...
> Why do you say this?

I think the point is that "never", "always", "nothing", and "everything" 
are always hyperboles.  There is more than one good programming language in 
the world.

Would it really be a good thing if *everything* were done in Python (even 
for those who only use Python)?  I don't think so -- there'd be less 
innovation.  Python has proved itself a very efficient collector of ideas 
from other languages (there are a number of reasons why it should be better 
than many other languages at that -- more to do with motivation than 
design, I think).

I'm not sure that Python really needs major corporate backing, nor even if 
it would be a good thing to receive it. One of Python's unique stengths is 
the very high affinity it has for open-source development (a consequence of 
clear design and short learning curves).  Corporate users are less 
concerned about such advantages (they use paid professional programmers in 
whom they can afford to invest a lot of training) and they may even be 
threatened by it (difficulty of obscuring source, blocking reengineering, 
lower perceived value due to fewer lines of code, generally lower barrier 
to competition).  Even when corporations do participate in open-source 
projects, they have a tendency to haul development along into their own 
direction (not that this is unreasonable of them, but it can be unhealthy 
for the project in the long run).

IMHO, it's a lot better if a lot of little companies use it. And, I 
actually think that may be true now.  And as for our little company, Python 
use is definitely growing. ;-D

Cheers,
Terry

-- 
Anansi Spaceworks
http://www.anansispaceworks.com