The Cost of Dynamism (was Re: Pyhon 2.x or 3.x, which is faster?)

[Steven D'Aprano]

On Monday 21 March 2016 13:11, Ben Finney wrote:

> BartC <bc at freeuk.com> writes:
> 
>> I don't have a clue about exceptions
> 
> Please, stop making assertions about Python code until you have learned
> Python.


I don't see how "I don't have a clue about exceptions" is an assertion about 
Python code.

I think there's a lot of hostility aimed at Bart, undeserved hostility, 
because he continues to demonstrate that Python is not as fast as it could 
be. I don't see that Bart is trolling or being malicious, although I do 
think he perhaps hasn't fully grasped the idea that *we know*, and we're 
willing to live with reduced speed in favour of certain design choices.

(Ironically, for all that we as a community will go to the battlements to 
fight to the death to keep these dynamic features, we'll also tar and 
feather anyone who actually *uses* them. I've even seen people criticise 
Raymond Hettinger, one of the most experienced and competent senior Python 
guys, because his "namedtuple" uses exec. Go figure.)

I'll ask everyone to please give Bart the benefit of the doubt and assume 
good faith. Rather than snark at him if he writes un-Pythonic code, teach 
him how to write it better, don't just sneer at the poor quality of his code 
or fob him off onto another list.

(Bart, I am also on the tutor mailing list that Ben suggested, and you would 
be welcome them.)


-- 
Steve