Python indentation deters newbies?

[Grant Edwards]

On 2004-08-13, beliavsky at aol.com <beliavsky at aol.com> wrote:

> One of the most commmon reasons programmers cite for not
> trying Python is that indentation determines the program flow
> -- they think its weird.

True.  I thought it was weird when I read about it.  I'm not so
closed-minded that it prevented me from trying the language.

> I think programmers who actually try Python adapt quickly and
> do not find the indentation rules to be a problem.
>
> I wonder if there is a way to remove this initial barrier. Could an
> alternate source form be defined,

Please no!!!  If you want a different language _use_ a different
language.  Don't mangle Python into something else.

> so that there are matching if-endif and for-next constructs
> instead of significant indentation? The alternate source form
> and the current form would result in exactly the same .pyc
> file.

Sounds horrible.

> I'm not saying that Python's use of indentation is bad, just
> that it stops many programmers from trying it.

Oh well.

-- 
Grant Edwards                   grante             Yow!  We have DIFFERENT
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