[BangPypers] Regarding Python popularity

[Anand Balachandran Pillai]

On Mon, Feb 8, 2010 at 5:06 PM, Navin Kabra <navin.kabra at gmail.com> wrote:

> On Mon, Feb 8, 2010 at 4:58 PM, Shashwat Anand <anand.shashwat at gmail.com
> >wrote:
>
> > Mine one of senior (at Amazon) suggested me "Go learn C++/ Java and
> improve
> > your DS/ Algo/ OS/OOP skills
> >
>
>
>
 That is a wrong notion and should be corrected immediately. Your
algorithmic skills have nothing to do with the language you choose to
implement your code in. Algorithmic skills boils down to the extent
of your knowledge in algorithms and the time you have spent to
read and practice on the subject. And like a previous author, I would
say that Python is perhaps a better tool at this since you can
learn and try new algorithms in Python at a fraction of the time
it takes to implement the same in say Java/C++.

With respect to data structures the language does matter - for
example the returns in implementing a linked list in Python are
not much since the high level structures like lists and dictionaries
make such a data structure redundant in Python but the returns
in terms of knowledge gained is more say in C/C++ since you
learn to understand pointers that much.

However a language like Python exposes so many different patterns
to the developer that it offers you different ways of solving the
same problem. Say "co-routines" to your typical C/C++ programmer
who doesn't explore beyond his confines and he gawks at you.
Say the same thing to a Python developer and he quickly shows
you the fibonacci example using generators :)



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-- 
--Anand