Learning different languages

[Harry George]

"gene tani" <gene.tani at gmail.com> writes:

> Rich wrote:
> > Hi,
> >
> > (this is a probably a bit OT here, but comp.lang seems rather
> > desolated, so I'm not sure I would get an answer there. And right now
> > I'm in the middle of learning Python anyway so...)
> >
> > Anyway, my question is: what experience you people have with working
> > with different languages at the same time?
> 
> http://www.infoworld.com/article/06/02/22/75452_09OPstrategic_1.html
> 

re the article:

To say Java and Python could use the same libraries misses a) dynamic
programming in python and b) the re-invent-the-wheel ethos of the whole
Java world.  Python shares libraries with all other languages when it
does bindings to std libraries.  Java almost never does this,
preferring instead to roll-its-own.  In its effort to beat MS at is
own lockin game, Java deliberately does not play well with others.
(Not that I'm fond of MS and its .NET lockins either.)

re the OP: 

I find I have to concentrate on one language for a while (several
programs) to ramp up on the syntax, semantics, idioms, and libraries.
Then I'm safe to wander off and learn other languages.  When it comes
time to do a project, I use one main language unless it really is a
bad match, in which case I write in one of the others.  My "one"
language has variously been over the years Pascal, Modula-2, Modula-3,
perl, and Python.  Even though I've written substantially in COBOL,
FORTRAN, Lisp, Prolog, and Java, I wouldn't use these for a default
language.

-- 
Harry George
PLM Engineering Architecture