New Python implementation

Christian Gollwitzer auriocus at gmx.de
Tue Feb 16 02:35:28 EST 2021


Am 16.02.21 um 06:36 schrieb dn:
> Pascal's value as a teaching language was that it embodied many aspects
> of structured programming, and like Python, consisted of a limited range
> of items which could be learned very quickly (in contrast to PL/I's many
> 'bells and whistles'). 

ROFL. Maybe that was true for Python when it was first invented. Today 
it is not "a few simple things". Even just the core language, anything 
that's built into the interpreter if you leave out any standard 
function, is enormous. To name a few: List comprehension, format 
strings, iterator protocol, asynchronous programming, everything called 
__dunderland. A minimal language with only very few basic rules, that 
would be Scheme e.g. Of course, it doesn't mean that Scheme is easier to 
program, but it is easier to write a compiler for it than for Python.

That is a misundestanding often presented - a language that is simple in 
the sense of having a few simple rules, is usually hard to use. (e.g. 
Brainfuck). A language which is easy to use, often comes with a large 
variety of building blocks, to give you the right tool to choose for the 
job at hands (e.g. Python), and therefore is "complex".

	Christian



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