Python is wierd!

[Steven D. Majewski]

On Tue, 25 Jul 2000, Jonathan wrote:

> Hi, just finished going through the 'Learning Python' book, and the
> feeling that i get is that Python is really wierd(compared to other
> conventional languages like C++, Java, etc). For e.g.(correct me if
> i'm wrong)

[ ... and later  ]

> Yep, point taken. I think the book did a good job by listing out all
> the potential gotchas that might trap a newbie. What i was thinking is
> the nature of the 'gotchas' that arise in python. My knowledge in
> programming is quite shallow(i must admit), and my progress was
> from 'pascal'->'c'->'c++/java'->'perl'->'php'. Along the way, of course
> there are a few 'gotchas' in each language, but most of them did not
> throw much surprises(except perl - the 'blessing' part for e.g.)

Jonathan:
    Tim and others have answered some of your specifics, but
I'm still worried about you! I'm afraid that these 'feelings' about
Python being 'weird' are just a sign of your overly sheltered 
upbringing (in programming languages, that is. c/c++/java just 
barely count as separate languages and Perl seems to have been your
only walk on the wild side!)
    If you think Python is weird, then you haven't seen very much!

I suggest you:

[1] Get a copy of Jean Samet's old book on programming languages plus
    volumes I and II of HOPL - History of Programming Languages out 
    of the library and read. ( And if you don't have time to read,
    then at least look at the "geneology" chart. )

[2] Below is a partial list of languages outside of the C/Pascal/Algol
  tradition that have significantly contributed to ideas about 
  programming and programming languages. If you can afford to spend
  a couple of weeks each learning a few from that list, it will 
  expand your horizons amazingly!

  Lisp|Scheme, FORTH, Smalltalk, Snobol, Icon, APL|J, 
  Prolog, Haskell, ML, Intercal, ... 

[3] Read Peter Landin on "The Next 700 Programming Languages" 



---|  Steven D. Majewski   (804-982-0831)  <sdm7g at Virginia.EDU>  |---
---|  Department of Molecular Physiology and Biological Physics  |---
---|  University of Virginia             Health Sciences Center  |---
---|  P.O. Box 10011            Charlottesville, VA  22906-0011  |---

"There's a new programming language called C+++. It's 50% better than C++, 
         but every time you compile, your modem hangs up."