merits of Lisp vs Python

[Greg Menke]

Paul Rubin <http://phr.cx@NOSPAM.invalid> writes:

> rpw3 at rpw3.org (Rob Warnock) writes:
> > Weird. This is exactly why I use *Lisp* -- because it stays
> > completely readable even if you don't use it on a daily basis!!!
> 
> Hmm.  I haven't used Lisp in a while and no longer find it so
> readable.

I haven't used Python in a while and don't find it especially readable.
A number of years ago I was looking for a high level alternative to C++,
I ran screaming from Perl.  Python was better but I ended up preferring
Lisp.  Like Python's space indents, Lisp's parens disappear into the
background once you learn how they work.  Whats left is the language
itself and I found Lisp worked more easily.
 
> Lisp just seems hopelessly old-fashioned to me these days.  A
> modernized version would be cool, but I think the more serious
> Lisp-like language designers have moved on to newer ideas.

The trick is separating new ideas from fads or things that look new but
are really incomplete reimplementations of older ideas.  Frankly I have
yet to find some language "feature" that doesn't exist in Common Lisp or
one of the implementations- OTOH I use it to write software to get
things done so my requirements are essentially practical rather than
doctrinal.

Gregm