Python syntax in Lisp and Scheme

[Andrew Dalke]

Kenny Tilton:
> Aren't you the scientist who praised a study because statistics showed
> the studies statistics had a better than even chance of not being
> completely random? Credibility zero, dude. (if you now complain that it
> was fully a 75% chance of not being completely random, you lose.)

Wow!  You continue to be wrong in your summaries:

  - I am not a scientist and haven't claimed to be one in about 8 years

  - I didn't 'praise' the study, I pointed out that it exists and that it
offers
       some interesting points to consider.  At the very least it makes a
       testable prediction.

  - After someone asserted that that study had been "debunked" I asked for
       more information on the debunking, and pointed out the results of
       one experiment suggest that the language mapping was not complete
       bunkum. (Note that since 100% correlation is also a 'better than even
       chance' your statement above is meaningless.  What is your
threshold?)

       I would be *delighted* to see more studies on this topic,
       even ones which state that COBOL is easier to use than Python.

  - When I make statements of belief, I present where possible the
       sources and the analyses used to justify the belief and, in an
       attempt at rigour, the weaknesses of those arguments.  As such,
       I find it dubious that my credibility can be lower than someone
       making claims based solely on gut feelings and illogical thought.
       I take that back; a -1.0 credibility makes a wonderful oracle.

Given how imprecise you are in your use of language (where your
thoughtless turns of phrase gracelessly demean those who don't believe
that programming is the be-all and end-all of ambitions), your inability
to summarize matters correctly, and your insistance on ad hominum attacks
(dude!) over logical counter-argument and rational discourse, I'm surprised
you can make a living as a programmer or in any other field which
requires mental aptitude and the ability to communicate.

                    Andrew
                    dalke at dalkescientific.com