Why and how "there is only one way to do something"?

[Gerard Flanagan]

Tolga wrote:

> As far as I know, Perl is known as "there are many ways to do
> something" and Python is known as "there is only one way". Could you
> please explain this? How is this possible and is it *really* a good
> concept?

Yes it is a good concept because you can concentrate on Strategy rather
than Tactics.

Strategy and Tactics

in warfare, related terms referring, respectively, to large-scale and
small-scale planning to achieve military success. Strategy may be
defined as the general scheme of the conduct of a war, tactics as the
planning of means to achieve strategic objectives. Not all theorists of
war make this a primary distinction. In the Chinese and Japanese
traditions processes and paradoxes are emphasized more than categories
(see Sun Tzu ). Karl von Clausewitz , the Prussian military theorist,
who was influenced by Niccolo Machiavelli , described strategy as the
planning of a whole campaign and tactics as the planning of a single
battle. In Clausewitz's theory all military strategy is part of the
larger political pattern, and all the nation's resources are to be
subordinated to the task of attaining the political objective of the
war; to this concerted effort he gave the name "grand strategy."
Antoine H. Jomini , an influential Swiss military theorist and general,
regarded strategy as the art of moving forces to the field of battle
and tactics as the conduct of forces in battle. Another school views
strategy as a means of bringing the enemy to battle and tactics as the
means of defeating him in battle. Some theorists focus on clear sets of
general principles; some wrote books on principles, formations and
maneuvers; and still others dwell on the importance of spirit or other
intangibles.
taken from http://www.encyclopedia.com/html/s1/strategy.asp


Sun Tzu
The Art of War.....stresses the unpredictability of battle, the
importance of deception and surprise, the close relationship between
politics and military policy, and the high costs of war. The futility
of seeking hard and fast rules and the subtle paradoxes of success are
major themes. The best battle, Sun Tzu says, is the battle that is won
without being fought.
from http://www.encyclopedia.com/html/S/SunT1zu.asp


Gerard