Python vs Ruby

[Mike Meyer]

Steven D'Aprano <steve at REMOVETHIScyber.com.au> writes:
> On Fri, 21 Oct 2005 13:03:29 +0100, Alex Stapleton wrote:
>> Perl is more like a CISC CPU. There are a million different commands.
>> Python is more RISC like.
>> Line count comparisons = pointless.
>
> Not so.
>
> Every line = more labour for the developer = more cost and time.
> Every line = more places for bugs to exist = more cost and time.

There were studies done in the 70s that showed that programmers
produced the same number of debugged lines of code a day no matter
what language they used. So a language that lets you build the same
program with fewer lines of code will let you build the program in
less time.

> I find it sometimes helps to imagine extreme cases. Suppose somebody comes
> to you and says "Hi, I want you to develop a web scrapping application to
> run on my custom hardware." You look at the project specifications and
> realise that the hardware has no OS, no TCP/IP, no file manager, no
> compiler. So you have to quote the potential customer on writing all these
> layers of software, potentially tens of millions of lines of code.
> Even porting an existing OS to the new hardware is not an insignificant
> job. Think how much time and money it would take.

Then factor in the profits to be reaped from selling the ported
OS/compilers :-).

        <mike
-- 
Mike Meyer <mwm at mired.org>			http://www.mired.org/home/mwm/
Independent WWW/Perforce/FreeBSD/Unix consultant, email for more information.