Trying to choose between python and java

[Cameron Laird]

In article <mailman.7685.1179212841.32031.python-list at python.org>,
Terry Reedy <tjreedy at udel.edu> wrote:
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>"Anthony Irwin" <nospam at noemailhere.nowhere> wrote in message 
>news:f2bghg$4q0$1 at news-01.bur.connect.com.au...
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>| #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?
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>Most versions of Python are still available.  You are free to use and 
>distribute your copies indefinitely.  Several older versions are still in 
>use.
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>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.
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>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.
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I'll answer even more aggressively:  Python's record of
backward compatibility is *better* than Java's.