Python from Wise Guy's Viewpoint

[Dirk Thierbach]

prunesquallor at comcast.net wrote:
> gt5163b at prism.gatech.edu (Brian McNamara!) writes:

>> This one is so easy, we do it in C++ just for spite.  :)
>> I'm using the FC++ library as a helper.

> Yuck!  Type declarations *everywhere*.  Where's this famous inference?

You *did* notice that it is C++, which hasn't type inference (and
a lousy typesystem? :-) So what Brian is saying that this is so easy
he can even to it with hands tied on his back and standing on his
head.

> In addition, with all the type decorations, it only serves to reinforce
> the idea the static type checking means a lot of extra keystrokes.

Yes. C++ and Java are to blame for that, and it's a completely
justified obverservation. Static typechecking in C++ and Java just
sucks, and gets in the way all the time. If I had the choice between one
of them and a dynamically typed language, I would of course use the
dynamically typed one. 

But there are other statically typechecked languages where you don't
have this kind of trouble. I don't know if this thread turns out do to
something useful for anyone, but if it does, I would hope it gets at
least this idea across.

- Dirk