Is Python your only programming language?

[David Mertz]

|I want to ask you hard-core c.l.p Pythonistas: Do you use Python for
|everything? (and I'm counting Python + C extensions as just Python)

I think the co-author of (parts of) my Gnosis Utilities package, Frank
McIngvale won't mind if I share this recent brief exchange with y'all.
On my OS/2 machine, the case of some files in the distribution were
getting messed up, so I wrote a little script to fix things up before
packaging:

DM> OK... but it's REXX. On the plus side, this will make sure all
DM> the files are right, not just those I remember to check.

FM> You'll have to excuse me for cracking up that the author
FM> of Text Processing in Python just sent me a REXX script!!
FM> Hm, lemme crack open my book and see if I can figure out
FM> how to rewrite it in this newfangled braceless python thang ;-)

FWIW. (still, REXX is quite braceless).

Yours, David...

X-Shameless-Plug: Buy Text Processing in Python: http://tinyurl.com/jskh

 

[Doug Tolton]

|I want to ask you hard-core c.l.p Pythonistas: Do you use Python for
|everything? (and I'm counting Python + C extensions as just Python)

I think the co-author of (parts of) my Gnosis Utilities package, Frank
McIngvale won't mind if I share this recent brief exchange with y'all.
On my OS/2 machine, the case of some files in the distribution were
getting messed up, so I wrote a little script to fix things up before
packaging:

DM> OK... but it's REXX. On the plus side, this will make sure all
DM> the files are right, not just those I remember to check.

FM> You'll have to excuse me for cracking up that the author
FM> of Text Processing in Python just sent me a REXX script!!
FM> Hm, lemme crack open my book and see if I can figure out
FM> how to rewrite it in this newfangled braceless python thang ;-)

FWIW. (still, REXX is quite braceless).

Yours, David...

X-Shameless-Plug: Buy Text Processing in Python: http://tinyurl.com/jskh

David, I have your book on my Desk now, and I've worked though some of
it. Good stuff so far. Kudos. I posted a reply to you on slashdot
about this book too, but I don't think you saw it.

Doug Tolton

 

[Tim Rowe]

I want to ask you hard-core c.l.p Pythonistas: Do you use Python for
everything? (and I'm counting Python + C extensions as just Python)

No. I'm a firm believer in using the right language for the task, and
I don't believe it to b possible for a single language to be the best
for every application.

Or do
you keep another language equally close at hand, and if so, what is it?

C++ close to hand, Eiffel and Ada available.

And
finally, do you foresee a day when Python can be, for all practical intents
and purposes, your only programming language?

Absolutely not. I don't believe any language could be, because every
task needs different compromises.

 

[Torsten Marek]

I'm curious about something... many Artima.com members who have a Java
background and learned Python have come to the conclusion that Java and
Python are highly complimentary languages. They would never consider
filling the place Java has in their toolbox with Python, but recognize there
are many tasks where it really pays to add Python to the mix.

I want to ask you hard-core c.l.p Pythonistas: Do you use Python for
everything? (and I'm counting Python + C extensions as just Python) Or do
you keep another language equally close at hand, and if so, what is it? And
finally, do you foresee a day when Python can be, for all practical intents
and purposes, your only programming language?

Execpt one C++ library I have wrapped for use with Python, I tend to
utilize Python for everything, GUI programming, general scripting,
database and file management etc. Answering your question, I think
Python + C is practical (at least for me) in all matters.


greets

Torsten

 

[Bob Gailer]

How does one "ork"

Quite well, thank you.

and what is the effect on the cow? '

Most of the cows around whom I've orked have given more and richer milk.

What is the RSPCA's attitude to this?

Probably better than the ASCPA's.

Also consider:

http://www.geocities.com/SunsetStrip/5662/Bands/ork.html
http://www.geocities.com/Area51/Station/1835/sr.html
http://www.openravenscar.org/
http://www.rewth.com/amtgard/

Tracing dictionary references ork -> orc -> grampus "Called also cowfish."
Now the circle is complete.

Bob Gailer
(e-mail address removed)
303 442 2625

 

[AdSR]

I want to ask you hard-core c.l.p Pythonistas: Do you use Python for
everything? (and I'm counting Python + C extensions as just Python) Or do
you keep another language equally close at hand, and if so, what is it? And
finally, do you foresee a day when Python can be, for all practical intents
and purposes, your only programming language?

At home, I use Python almost exclusively. This includes Jython from
time to time.

At work, I use whatever is needed, usually Java or C++. I haven't used
Python "officially", but it was very helpful when I had to rewrite a
couple of database tables into a different format/design. I also use
it to try out concepts.

Interactive mode/IDLE is a good replacement for a calculator too, as
advertised.

And man, does Python make me lazy It really makes you appreciate
Guido & Co.'s work when you get back to some other language and have
to do some "basic" thing like list or dictionary manipulation.

Would I want Python to be my only language? Not really - it would be
monotonous. That's why I read at least a tutorial for a new language
from time to time.

Slightly off-topic, I went to a zoo last Saturday and saw there a huge
python that had just had its lunch. A truly terrifying sight.

AdSR

 

[Donn Cave]

Absolutely not. I don't believe any language could be, because every
task needs different compromises.

Sure, within the domain of computer programming problems,
no single language can adequately serve for everything.
But that's a much broader range than most of us encompass,
and I think it's really rather reasonable in principle for
a single language to satisfy a single programmer's needs.
Where "satisfy" is a function of how well the language works
for his or her normal range of problems versus how easily
another possibly better language can be brought on board.
Excuse me for such an obvious observation, but it seems sort
of evasive to turn the question into a matter of principle.

For my purposes, there seem to be three programming language
roles: a low level system interface language (C, for UNIX),
an application language, and a high level system interface
language (shell, for UNIX.) In practice, the application
language is sometimes Python, more commonly C, and in my
dreams it could be Haskell.

Donn Cave, (e-mail address removed)

 

[Steve Lamb]

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I want to ask you hard-core c.l.p Pythonistas: Do you use Python for
everything? (and I'm counting Python + C extensions as just Python) Or do
you keep another language equally close at hand, and if so, what is it? And
finally, do you foresee a day when Python can be, for all practical intents
and purposes, your only programming language?

Ever since I learned Python 3-4 years back I have been making an
effort to program more and more in Python. I attempted to get my work
to switch over to no avail. Presently I write 95% in Python, 5% in
shell and that 5% in shell is limited to the command-line. If the tast
is too complex for me to pipe together a few shell utils I fire up vim
and into Python I go.

Recently I've expanded into coding in wxPython thanks to the
wonderful efforts of the Boa-Constructor team. First time I've
seriously delved into GUI work and it is, as with other Python projects,
extremely fun to work on.

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[Tim Rowe]

Sure, within the domain of computer programming problems,
no single language can adequately serve for everything.
But that's a much broader range than most of us encompass,

Most, maybe, but as, loosely, a computer scinece consutant, I probably
get a broader range than most! I have to know at least the basic
characteristics of any language I may encounter, even if I don't have
to code it, and my experience is that the best way to do it is to code
it -- whatever it is -- at least a bit.

and I think it's really rather reasonable in principle for
a single language to satisfy a single programmer's needs.

I'd suggest that that depends on the level of the programmer.
Certainly I'd say get to know one really well. But then I reckon
getting another language under the belt -- the /right/ another
language that complements the first -- offers massive advantages over
the programmer with only one.

For my purposes, there seem to be three programming language
roles: a low level system interface language (C, for UNIX),
an application language, and a high level system interface
language (shell, for UNIX.) In practice, the application
language is sometimes Python, more commonly C, and in my
dreams it could be Haskell.

If I want to get something up and running quickly then I go straight
to Python. If thousands of lives depend on the code working right I
would not be allowed to use Python, and, IMHO, quite rightly too. It
just doesn't have what it needs for proving correctness, and adding
those things would scupper the getting things up and running quickly.

 

[smarter_than_you]

Been programming for 20 years, in (roughly this order):

BASIC
Assembly (various, starting with 6502)
Forth
C
(a little) Lisp
C++
Java
and lately, Python

I can say without a doubt, Py is so much closer to how my brain works,
and I am _so_ much more productive (factor of 2.5 - 3 over C/C++),
that I will be using it by default for everything that it can do, and
will need to be torn away from it kicking and screaming when
absolutely necessary (high-performance stuff mostly).

Recently at a job interview my possible boss said he liked C#, and
didn't know much about Python. That comment alone made me much less
interested in the job.

 

[Nick Vargish]

If I want to get something up and running quickly then I go straight
to Python. If thousands of lives depend on the code working right I
would not be allowed to use Python, and, IMHO, quite rightly too. It
just doesn't have what it needs for proving correctness, and adding
those things would scupper the getting things up and running
quickly.

So what programming language actually does bridge the gap between
"thousands of lives depend on the code working right" and "getting
this up and running quickly"?

Whenever someone implies that compile-time type checking provides some
"proof of correctness", I think about (void *) and am not very
convinced.

Nick

 

[Van Gale]

So what programming language actually does bridge the gap between
"thousands of lives depend on the code working right" and "getting
this up and running quickly"?

I would hope that there would be pressure for "up and quickly" when
thousands of lives are at stake So, the only choice in that case is
doing it properly.

I think that Ada is one of the few languages capable of being used on
"lives depend on it" systems. It's not anything special about the
language in particular, but rather the immense amount of man-hours and
time spent in writing checking and analysis tools. That includes tools
that can verify an Ada program will meet real-time requirements. This
kind of tool is really sophisticated (obviously) and would probably be
impossible to code for anything but a strong static typed language.

 

[Jim Richardson]

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I quite like the strategy of recommending Python for almost
everything, and Common Lisp for what's left.

Hmm, guess this doesn't cover the embedded niche...

Forth.


Assembly if you must, python if you can. Seems to be my watchword these
days.

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[Tim Ottinger]

I want to ask you hard-core c.l.p Pythonistas: Do you use Python for
everything? (and I'm counting Python + C extensions as just Python)

[/QUOTE]

Oh, how I wish.

Although I do like my spattering of SQL too.
And I don't hate C and C++ (which account for most of my 24yrs of
programming). At least not as much as I hate Java.

I probably could use python for just about everything I do these days.

A different Tim