Trying to choose between python and java

[sjdevnull at yahoo.com]

Cameron Laird wrote:
> In article <mailman.7685.1179212841.32031.python-list at python.org>,
> Terry Reedy <tjreedy at udel.edu> wrote:
> >
> >"Anthony Irwin" <nospam at noemailhere.nowhere> wrote in message
> >news:f2bghg$4q0$1 at news-01.bur.connect.com.au...
> 			.
> 			.
> 			.
> >| #5 someone said that they used to use python but stopped because the
> >| language changed or made stuff depreciated (I can fully remember
> >| which) and old code stopped working. Is code written today likely to
> >| still work in 5+ years or do they depreciate stuff and you have to
> >update?
> >
> >Most versions of Python are still available.  You are free to use and
> >distribute your copies indefinitely.  Several older versions are still in
> >use.
> >
> >Recent releases have added features but removed very little except bugs.
> >Unfortunately, bug removal sometimes breaks code.  And feature additions
> >occasionally introduce bugs or otherwise break code, but that is why there
> >are alpha, beta, and candidate releases before a final release.
> >
> >Python3 will remove many things at once.  A conversion tool is being
> >written.  And there is no expectation that production code should be
> >immediately converted, if ever.
> 			.
> 			.
> 			.
> I'll answer even more aggressively:  Python's record of
> backward compatibility is *better* than Java's.

Although I objected earlier to the statement that Python has never had
a release breaking backward compatibility, I agree 100% with this--the
times that Python has broken backward compatibility have been preceded
by several releases of deprecation warnings.  Java on several
occasions has simply broken working code in a new release with no
warning.  I wouldn't be shocked if Python has done the same, but I've
never run into it in my code.