Why do you use python?

[mbg1708 at planetmail.com]

On Monday, 21 March 2016 04:13:45 UTC, Chris Angelico  wrote:
> On Mon, Mar 21, 2016 at 2:59 PM,  <rharding64 at gmail.com> wrote:
> > instead, to be efficient, it is best to combine tools to solve problems that contain complexities where there is nothing available off the shelve that does the job. c# is free, free VS studio, i can run ironpython there, i can do python there, and talk to linux boxes with python, i can run c# on linux boxes using mono(did that back in 2004 and thereafter for a while).  i can run python on my beaglebone black inside of snappy ubuntu, ect.
> >
> > so i ask those employers why not use what is available to solve problems instead of limiting yourself to just one???
> 
> Because you won't be there forever, and they'll have to find someone
> else to maintain your hellspawn hodge-podge of languages, tools, and
> libraries. (And yes, it will be described that way by the next person,
> no matter how careful you are.) It's in their interests to restrict
> its complexity at least a bit. I'm not sure what advantage you gain by
> incorporating C# into the mix, but the *dis*advantage is that, forever
> afterward, Visual Studio and Mono will be necessary to use and develop
> this project. Every new thing needed is another thing that can go
> wrong, another thing people need to learn, etc, etc.
> 
> So instead of treating programming like a plumber at a hardware store,
> treat it like an artist with a canvas. You wouldn't normally see a
> portrait done partly in watercolor and partly in oils - or if it is,
> it's for a VERY deliberate effect. You'd more often see one style used
> for one project, and maybe another one used for another.
> 
> ChrisA

Spot on.  It's actually worse than Chris says.  I've had trouble with old code that I WROTE MYSELF.  Please don't tell me that I didn't try hard enough the first time......the only time to find that out is the second time!!