Is Python your only programming language?

[John Machin]

Re: Is Python your only programming language?

Ben Finney <bignose-hates-spam@and-benfinney-does-too.id.au> wrote in message news:<slrnbjh0d c.rrk.bignose-hates-spam@iris.polar .local>...
[color=blue]
>
> It also reflects the fact that I intend these tools to be maintainable
> by others who don't necessarily know the languages I use inside out. I
> would shudder to show a complex shell or perl script to a cow-orker, but
> my Python scripts are easily explainable -- one cow-orker has
> volunteered the comment that "it looks like pseudocode" :-)
>[/color]

How does one "ork" and what is the effect on the cow? What is the
RSPCA's attitude to this?

[Larry]

Re: Is Python your only programming language?

"Joe Cheng" <code@joecheng. com> wrote in message news:<h9%Za.822 5$M6.622467@new sread1.prod.itd .earthlink.net> ...[color=blue]
> I'm curious about something...[/color]

At work I'm now at about 90% Python and the rest a mix of Visual Basic
and Java. Almost anything new gets done in Python, with Java for
applets (blah) and the VB mainly just maintenance on existing VB crap.

At home I'm currently about 40% Unreal Tournament 2003 and 60% Civ
III.

[Jarek Zgoda]

Re: Is Python your only programming language?

Larry <wrbt@email.com > pisze:
[color=blue]
> At home I'm currently about 40% Unreal Tournament 2003 and 60% Civ
> III.[/color]

I'm 100% Steel Panthers World At War 7.1 and I clearly see, that
pythonic tactics makes me winner in most of cases. ;)

Thanks God, I have wife that allows me run "unknown binaries" on her W2K
box. And she has 80GB HDD, just enough for all our collected music.

--
Jarek Zgoda
Registered Linux User #-1
http://www.zgoda.biz/ JID:zgoda@chrom e.pl http://zgoda.jogger.pl/

[Rich]

Re: Is Python your only programming language?


"John Machin" <sjmachin@lexic on.net> wrote in message
news:c76ff6fc.0 308121149.67b32 0fa@posting.goo gle.com...[color=blue]
>
> How does one "ork" and what is the effect on the cow? What is the
> RSPCA's attitude to this?[/color]

There is a page on orking here: http://www.monkeon.co.uk/orking/

The RSPCA is fine with it....

see ya,
Rich.
(formerly of JMI in Carlton, way back when Colonial had it. :-)

[Alan Gauld]

Re: Is Python your only programming language?

On Tue, 12 Aug 2003 05:44:45 GMT, "Joe Cheng" <code@joecheng. com>
wrote:[color=blue]
> I want to ask you hard-core c.l.p Pythonistas: Do you use Python for
> everything?[/color]

I'm not sure I'm "hard core" but I use Python most days.
However most projects I work on use many programming
languages - I think the record was 12 languages on 1 project.
An average is probably around 5.

I use Python mainly for prototyping and proof of concept work
during design, the results get turned into C++, Java, COBOL
or assembler depending on the project.

In theory we could use Python for an embedded scripting language
but Tcl and VBScript have already grabbed that slot in our
corporate armoury...
[color=blue]
> finally, do you foresee a day when Python can be, for all practical intents
> and purposes, your only programming language?[/color]

Nope, there will always be places where I want to use Lisp or
Prolog. Even awk is better for some things. And when the code
really gets down n' dirty nothing beats raw C and assembler...

Alan G.
Author of the Learn to Program website

http://www.freenetpages.co.uk/hp/alan.gauld

[David Mertz]

Re: Is Python your only programming language?

|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
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gnosis _/_/ Postmodern Enterprises _/_/ s r
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[Doug Tolton]

Re: Is Python your only programming language?

On Wed, 13 Aug 2003 02:48:16 -0400, mertz@gnosis.cx (David Mertz)
wrote:
[color=blue]
>|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[/color]


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]

Re: Is Python your only programming language?

On Tue, 12 Aug 2003 05:44:45 GMT, "Joe Cheng" <code@joecheng. com>
wrote:
[color=blue]
>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)[/color]

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.
[color=blue]
> Or do
>you keep another language equally close at hand, and if so, what is it?[/color]

C++ close to hand, Eiffel and Ada available.
[color=blue]
> And
>finally, do you foresee a day when Python can be, for all practical intents
>and purposes, your only programming language?[/color]

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

[Torsten Marek]

Re: Is Python your only programming language?

Joe Cheng schrieb:[color=blue]
> 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?
>
>[/color]

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]

Re: Is Python your only programming language?

At 12:49 PM 8/12/2003 -0700, John Machin wrote:[color=blue]
>How does one "ork"[/color]

Quite well, thank you.
[color=blue]
>and what is the effect on the cow? '[/color]

Most of the cows around whom I've orked have given more and richer milk.
[color=blue]
>What is the RSPCA's attitude to this?[/color]

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
bgailer@alum.rp i.edu
303 442 2625


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[AdSR]

Re: Is Python your only programming language?

"Joe Cheng" <code@joecheng. com> wrote...[color=blue]
> 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?[/color]

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]

Re: Is Python your only programming language?

In article <njfkjvckkbsq9m b34f5ko9fsasrao iidoh@4ax.com>,
Tim Rowe <tim@remove_if_ not_spam.digiti g.co.uk> wrote:
[ ... re Python as the only language you need ]
[color=blue]
> Absolutely not. I don't believe any language could be, because every
> task needs different compromises.[/color]

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, donn@u.washingt on.edu

[Steve Lamb]

Re: Is Python your only programming language?

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Hash: SHA1

On Tue, 12 Aug 2003 05:44:45 GMT, Joe Cheng <code@joecheng. com> wrote:[color=blue]
> 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?[/color]

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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--
Steve C. Lamb | I'm your priest, I'm your shrink, I'm your
PGP Key: 8B6E99C5 | main connection to the switchboard of souls.
| -- Lenny Nero - Strange Days
-------------------------------+---------------------------------------------

[Tim Rowe]

Re: Is Python your only programming language?

On Wed, 13 Aug 2003 10:13:53 -0700, Donn Cave <donn@u.washing ton.edu>
wrote:
[color=blue]
>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,[/color]

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.
[color=blue]
>and I think it's really rather reasonable in principle for
>a single language to satisfy a single programmer's needs.[/color]

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.
[color=blue]
>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.[/color]

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]

Re: Is Python your only programming language?

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.