Python questions from C/Perl/Java programmer

[Tom Biggs]

Paul Magwene wrote:

> "ye, wei" wrote:
> >
> [stuff about braces, variable declaration snipped]
> >
>
> You'll find, I believe, that people on this newsgroup are not likely to
> give these issues much attention, because they have been rehashed
> innumerous times on this newsgroup.
>
> Having read this newsgroup for about 2 years, the general patterns seems
> to be that newcomers initially complain loudly, propose the use of
> braces, variable declarations, etc. (Gee, how come NOBODY thought of
> that before!).

That never occurred to me.

Oh, hello, I'm a complete Python newbie; I just dropped in to pick up tips.
I learned Perl through monitoring that newsgroup.  I'm a fanatic Perl
programmer but not to the exclusion of all else.  I've done C for umpteen
years now, but I'm not attached to the curlies.

The only reason I was even a bit leery of fixed indents was
that my first language was Frotran, long before it got proper
control structures.  But I'm compulsive about proper indenting
in C and Perl, so Python's use of indenting to eliminate the
curlies doesn't bother me in the least.  I've seen some frightening
C and Java code where the 'indenting' served only to confuse;
it was indecipherable until run through the indent utility.

> Following this initial period of whininess, they begin
> to actually program in Python for a little while, find that they didn't
> really need (or want) those crutches, and preceed to become happy Python
> converts [I imagine those who don't quietly sulk back to Java and/or
> Perl].

Several Perl/C/Java programmers I know raved so about Python
that I just had to investigate.  I like what I've seen so far _very much_.
I doubt I'll abandon Perl altogether - I try to pick the right tool for the
right job - but Python looks very clean.  And Perl's OO stuff is just
ridiculous, a hasty slap-on-the-side kludge.

So you'll probably be hearing some newbie questions from me.
*After* I read the FAQ of course...