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91 Comments
- morninglorii, on 12/03/2008, -2/+31Python is awesome. Many people complain about the strict whitespace restrictions, but if you're working in a team/group, this is a guaranteed plus, as it forces everyone to conform to a standard, which is far more valuable than being able to cling to whatever weird whitespace habits you may have.
- daimposter, on 12/03/2008, -1/+26dammit, you're supposed to say "python is hard" so i can come back with a "that's what she said" reply.
- inactive, on 12/03/2008, -5/+24I got a grip on my python alright.
- daimposter, on 12/03/2008, -1/+18and by 'my' you mean your boyfriends, right?
- raydeen, on 12/03/2008, -0/+13Python is the new BASIC. And it's a good thing. It's easy to learn, difficult to master, and is becoming quite ubiquitous. I've been having quite a bit of fun with the Turtle graphics module, plugging different values into two or more nested loops for distance and direction and seeing what neat Spirograph patterns it spits out. :)
Edit: I gotta include this link: It's meant for kids but is very good for someone looking to get their feet wet with Python.
http://www.briggs.net.nz/log/writing/snake-wrangli ... - UKsHaDoW, on 12/03/2008, -1/+13Python is a gorgeous language. Nice and simple, with a huge standard libary.
- inactive, on 12/03/2008, -0/+12Yes.
- passive, on 12/03/2008, -0/+11This is just plain false.
New computer languages exist because as an industry, we continue to develop better and better abstractions, and then we use those languages to build better software.
Google uses python because it works. There will be something that works better in the future, but for now, Python is pretty darn good.
I've also used Ruby, PHP, Perl and Python, along with C, C++ and Java, and I vastly prefer Python. I can code quicker, make fewer "dumb" mistakes, and be pretty sure anyone else will be able to easily pick up and use my code. All of those are factors in improving the final product. - rowjimmy, on 12/03/2008, -0/+11just use the docs - http://python.org/doc/ - or pay for/download oreilly's python in a nutshell (assuming you already know another oo language like ruby or java)
- morninglorii, on 12/03/2008, -0/+10Karma doesn't pay the bills.
- FastZ, on 12/03/2008, -10/+19Programming is hard.
- morninglorii, on 12/03/2008, -0/+9Python would be a great starting point; just be aware that you'll be getting spoiled. If you ever need to write a performance-intensive application later on, you'll have some more learning to do with memory management in C or C++.
- neutronphaser, on 12/03/2008, -2/+10Python is hardly phased in
- bffoley, on 12/03/2008, -0/+8Let me just say, if you're a programmer who knows any of the other major OO languages out there (C#, Java, etc), you'll pick up Python really quickly. It's a great language.
- morninglorii, on 12/03/2008, -0/+7This is crap. I'll give one example to make my point, but I promise you there are tons like this.
C++ is great for applications where performance is critical. If I'm writing a game or a mathematical analysis tool, I'm writing it (or at least the components that do the heavy lifting) in C++. However, it's very complicated and bloated.
Python is great for doing things in a simple and easy-to-change way. If I'm writing a calendar application (where performance is not an issue), I'm writing it in python. However, it's slower than C++, and something like a 3D graphics engine written in Python would likely be slower than molasses.
This has nothing to do with "fragmenting the industry," it has to do with using the right tool for the job. Furthermore, there's no way it COULD have anything to do with "fragmenting the industry", unless you dream of some giant central secret corporation creating new languages and cackling evilly all day. - GhostFreeman, on 12/03/2008, -0/+7I learned Python with Guido's help docs. http://www.python.org/doc/ Actually really straightforward, even if you've never programmed before.
- billizm, on 12/03/2008, -0/+7At my work, we have rewritten a few C++ back-end programs with Python, with the help of test driven development practices. The results are great. Less code, easier to maintain. Performance did not take a hit most in most cases, as it was, most of the run time consumed by our apps were waiting for network/database calls. In cases where performance is an issue, we simply write C++ modules callable from python.
- dracken, on 12/03/2008, -0/+6I would also recommend "Learning Python". Granted that you should pony up some money to read it from O'reilly's safari, but it is worth the investment if you want to master the language and be very productive
- speedyrev, on 12/03/2008, -0/+6Monty Python quote would have been funny if you hadn't posted the whole movie transcript.
- barfooz, on 12/03/2008, -0/+5Better: http://www.diveintopython.org/toc/index.html
- freezerburn666, on 12/03/2008, -2/+7it sure makes a difference to employers though. i have had a tonne of experience with PHP in commercial business, and visual basic, c#, etc, with visual studio 2008. however i only studied ASP .NET in school. i was declined the ASP job because i had no commercial experience. the ***** HR also tagged on that their client "specifically said no PHP guys" even though it said PHP in the job posting. WTF. i hate my life
- billizm, on 12/03/2008, -2/+7Even better, Python can easily replace PHP for the P in LAMP when the time comes. =)
- Drakk0n, on 12/03/2008, -1/+6http://www.showmedo.com/videos/python - Some great video tutorials on python
http://www.showmedo.com/videos/series?name=FtBpzKi ... - specifically relating to google app engine - ArthurSucks, on 12/03/2008, -0/+5Python is not only a powerful language, but fun too.
- rz8472, on 12/03/2008, -0/+5Python - The Chairman approves!
- Ademan, on 12/03/2008, -0/+4Someone has never heard of functional programming languages...
- MtheoryX, on 12/03/2008, -0/+4Okay, I'll abstract that out a bit more for ya'...
Programming language and programming are not the end game...
Problem solving. Learn it. Use it. Live it. - joestump, on 12/03/2008, -0/+4I've been writing a few side projects in Python and Django. So far, I've really enjoyed my experience. The #django channel is welcoming and helpful (Magus- is super human in his help there). There are some things that I miss from other languages, but Python definitely is fun.
- MtheoryX, on 12/03/2008, -0/+4@radiofrequency:
I'm sure you meant "What's *the Python interpreter* written in? In that case, you'd be right.
They may all do the same thing, but even C programs can be written in assembly, or machine code.
The issue is time and resources. What is cheaper? Paying a developer? Or a few thousand more processor cycles?
Unless you've been a shut-in for several years, you'll know that human resources are your largest expense. - cabazorro, on 12/03/2008, -0/+4I have coded years-a-plenty (more than you) in language A, B, C and D. Clearly language B is way better than language A and language C sucks royally. Language D is the language that got me most interested but clearly language B is the def-acto standard because it just works, and any delusional moron who begs to differ is clearly a code monkey who should be fired on the spot and his/her grand mother wears army boots. Needless to say I'm not buying into a pissing contest.
- ScottyMcBaggs, on 12/03/2008, -0/+4Ehh, new book is useless unless the colleges start using this fictitious new book and teaching glibc. Someone fresh out of college likely doesn't know that most of the little stupid functions and macros you have coded by hand for years are already done for you, and more efficiently designed.
- Ademan, on 12/03/2008, -0/+4*cough* pypy :-)
- MtheoryX, on 12/03/2008, -0/+4You had trouble learning PHP? Wow... just, wow.
- 47f0, on 12/03/2008, -0/+4Makes a huge difference. As a former PHP and PERL guy, I can tell you emphatically that maintenance and revision are much easier with a syntactically clean language. We spend much less time modifying and debugging Python code, and that is a bottom line gain.
- TommyTikal, on 12/03/2008, -0/+4I've been going through online tutorials for the past while trying to pick up Python. I've just started taking it more seriously since picking up O'Reilly 'Learning Python' (3rd Edition), authored by Mark Lutz. It's a great read...and one paragraph in the Acknowledgements really struck me:
"Finally, a few personal notes of thanks. To OQO for the best toys so far. To the late
Carl Sagan for inspiring an 18-year-old kid from Wisconsin. To Jon Stewart and
Michael Moore for being patriots. And to all the large corporations I’ve come across
over the years, for reminding me how lucky I have been to be self-employed." - gzmask, on 12/03/2008, -0/+4programming language is a tool to use, not a skill to learn. programming, however, is worth learning.
- MattBD, on 12/03/2008, -0/+4I've tried to learn several other languages in the past year - Perl, PHP and Java were the main ones - without much success. Now I'm learning Python and it's the first one I feel like I can make progress with.
I highly recommend the book I'm using - Python Programming for the Absolute Beginner, Second Edition. Makes it very accessible. Once I've finished it, I'm interested in learning to use Django. - MtheoryX, on 12/03/2008, -1/+5"Johnny Turbo (jturbo)
A person who joined Digg on January 14th, 2008"
Yep, figures. You weren't around when tech articles were more dominant on Digg than anything else. - aceekay, on 12/04/2008, -0/+4nobody mentioned www.pythonchallenge.com/ !!
it helps you learn and its fun at the same time - dracken, on 12/03/2008, -0/+4That is an uninformed opinion. There are two competing aspects.
1. Computer systems become powerful, capable of running bigger and bigger software. How are programmers supposed to build them ? through assembly language ? Instead, newer languages which give rise to massive increase in productivity for *acceptable* performance degradation become famous.
2. Computers become more and more complex and the tools that were used to program a previous generation become useless. Assembly language was good. But as platforms become diverse how would you deploy software written in assembly ? Think java. When it was introduced, everyone complained how slow it was. These days, the portability trumps the speed penalty. Now multicores are coming to the fore. How would you program them ? using assembly ? using C ?
If somebody introduces a new language which can effectively program multicores, is it because they want to "keep wages down ?" - c8h8r8i8s8, on 12/03/2008, -6/+10I've been meaning to concentrate on Python more, since PHP seems like it is slowly being phased out. These tutorials look great, I'll be sure to look into them over break.
- MtheoryX, on 12/03/2008, -0/+3I wouldn't go so far as to say they "all work the same."
- inactive, on 12/03/2008, -0/+3Why?
- MtheoryX, on 12/03/2008, -0/+3It's what I love...and every day, I'm doing what I love.
Sure, I'd love more money, etc. That said...at least I don't hate every waking moment of my working day.
I've had jobs like that, some paid way more than you'd think, and I wouldn't go back to that for any price. - inactive, on 12/04/2008, -0/+3True, Python could replace or work alongside PHP (or anything else) but PHP is being molded into OOP very rapidly. So contrary to yungzee I think PHP is being re-born into something better and far easier to code with.
By creating preset classes, Zend, Cake, Code burner all have taken php into a new approach and its very fast, quick to program and familiar. Yes there is Ruby which has its own advantages but PHP is so well known getting help is a snap. - goldisalie, on 12/03/2008, -0/+3PHP has a firm grip on the web, but its an inferior language to python in my opinion, its strength right now lies in the fact that so many open source web apps are written in it: wordpress, phpbb, oscommerce, gallery, etc. With the emergence of python frameworks I can see this eroding, but honestly I don't see why you need django when python works with AJAX. Right now I'm learning AJAX stuff with python cgi scripts, I can code python and make websites I mostly need the javascript in the middle. With those skills I believe I'll be able to do it all without a fancy framework.
Python is brilliant for what it does, the whole point of a programming language is that it is a human readable layer between computer and developer. Python is the most human readable language there is. The problem with python is performance, so you don't go developing full blown apps in it, its a stop gap for when you need something out and running fast, as in fast development time. This is what matters in the business world. Although if you put your mind to it and use the right libraries you can make python apps run much faster. - radiofrequency, on 12/03/2008, -0/+3What's Python written in? C? ;-)
It's just layer upon layer of abstraction. They all do the same friggin' thing. - undershirt, on 12/04/2008, -1/+4I just don't think you can beat Ruby's pure object-oriented paradigm. Why is Python is all the rage?
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