Re: [OT] Choosing a scripting language.

I'm a big fan of Python, and the indentation doesn't bother me, but I do
miss brace matching in Vi.  % % was so handy for hopping thru code or
checking blocks.

Marco Colombo wrote:
> On Fri, 24 Oct 2003, scott.marlowe wrote:
>
>>On Fri, 24 Oct 2003, Scott Chapman wrote:
>
> [...]
>
>>>I also love the indentation to
>>>differentiate code blocks rather than the junk I'd been used to seeing in
>>>Perl and previous languages.
>>
>>Sorry, that was the one big turnoff for me in Python.  Indentation is
>>simple to me, I do it linux kernel style, and don't even have to pay
>>attention to it anymore, it's just automatic for me.  I guess I'm just
>>used to doing it the old fashioned way.
>
>
> I don't get it. If you already indent code, what's the problem with
> Python? Python _requires_ correct indentation, so it's a problem only
> to beginners who don't like indenting (and forces them in doing
> the Right Thing). If indentation is automatic for you, you're already
> doing it the Python way.
> Enforcing correct indentation is not more a burden than enforcing
> braces matching (or BEGIN/END): it's just syntax, and comes natural
> to most experienced programmers. Python codes is just prettier to
> the eyes (and thus, to the mind), just because it's simpler w/o
> braces and semicolons (any UNIX/C programmer already has an internal
> background parser for that, I know).
>
> BTW, I do 80% of my scripting in PHP (started with PHP/FI), 10% in perl
> (perl4) and 10% in python (1.5). PHP is usually web-oriented (but
> use php -f sometimes, expecially for cron scripts that share code
> with CGI ones). Perl is unbeatable in quick&dirty processing scripts
> (Perl can be both _very_ quick and _very_ dirty), Pyhton for anything
> bigger and well-designed (and with a GUI). All three should have
> a place in your toolbox, and you should use the right tool for the
> right task. The same applies to PostgreSQL. I'd never use it as
> permanent storage for my Perl hashes or Python dictionaries: old-style
> NDBM/Berkeley DB will do (and do well) most of the times.
>
> Don't go with one scripting language, learn them all. Even tcl will teach
> you something (not much, I admit).
>
> .TM.