merits of Lisp vs Python

[Kaz Kylheku]

Paddy wrote:
> Does Lisp have a doctest-like module as part of its standard
> distribution?

No, and it never will.

The wording you are using betrays cluelessness. Lisp is an ANSI
standard language. Its distribution is a stack of paper.

There isn't a ``standard distribution'' of Lisp any more than there is
such a thing of C++.

> There are advantages to
> doctest being one of Pythons standard modules.

There are also advantages in being able to tell idiots who have
terrible language extension ideas that they can simply roll their own
crap---and kindly keep it from spreading.

This is generally what happens in intelligent, mature programming
language communities. For instance, whenever someone comes along who
thinks he has a great idea for the C programming language, the standar
answer is: Wonderful! Implement the feature into a major compiler like
GCC, to show that it's feasible. Gain some experience with it in some
community of users, work out any wrinkles, and then come back.

In the Lisp community, we can do one better than that by saying: Your
feature can be easily implemented in Lisp and loaded by whoever wants
to use it. So, i.e. don't bother.

Lisp disarms the nutjobs who want to inflict harm on the world by
fancying themselves as programming language designers. They are reduced
to the same humble level as other software developers, because the best
they can do is write something which is just optionally loaded like any
other module, and easily altered beyond their original design or
rejected entirely. Those who are not happy with the lack of worship run
off an invent shitty little languages for hordes of newbies, being
careful that in the designs of those languages, they don't introduce
anything from Lisp which would land them in the same predicament from
which they escaped.