I have been waiting for something like this! Thanks! On Dec 8, 2007 6:08 AM, Steve Howell <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
> Python is my favorite programming language. I've used > it as my primary language for about six years now, > including four years of using it full-time in my day > job. Three months ago I decided to take a position > with a team that does a lot of things very well, but > they don't use Python. We use Ruby instead. I'd like > to share my observations about Ruby, because I think > they say important things about Python, which has been > my frame of reference. > > First of all, I actually enjoy programming in Ruby. > Although I'm still fairly early on the learning curve, > I feel like I've achieved basic fluency, and it > generally stays out of the way. > > (A quick disclaimer is that some of the observations I > make about Ruby may simply reflect my ignorance about > the language. I'm still learning it.) > > The thing that I like least about Ruby is its > "require" mechanism. Basically, when you do "require" > in Ruby, it sort of pollutes your namespace. I much > prefer Python's explicitness. > > Some surprising things that I like about Ruby: > > 1) It has the Perlish natural language syntax of > "raise 'foo' if condition." I never missed having > that syntax in Python, but now that I have it in Ruby, > I use it quite often. > > 2) On a general note, Ruby is enough like Python > that it doesn't bend my brain. > > 3) I actually like being able to omit parentheses in > method definitions and method calls. In Ruby you can > express "add(3,5,7)" as both "add(3,5,7)" and "add 3, > 5, 7." The latter syntax is obviously more error > prone, but I don't think I've ever actually gotten bit > by it, and the code appears more clean to me. > > 4) Ruby forces you to explicitly make attributes for > instance variables. At first I found this clumsy, but > I've gotten used to it, and I actually kind of like it > in certain circumstances. > > What I miss about Python: > > 1) I like the fact that Python's syntax for passing > around methods is very natural. Ruby's syntax is much > more clumsy. > > 2) I miss indentation. I get bitten by kEnd in Ruby > all the time. > > 3) I miss Python's maturity. Just to give a small > example, Python's interpreter gives more readable > syntax error messages. > > Those are the things that jump out for me. I'm > curious to hear what other people have learned about > Python after maybe going away from it for a while. > > > > > > > ____________________________________________________________________________________ > Be a better friend, newshound, and > know-it-all with Yahoo! Mobile. Try it now. > http://mobile.yahoo.com/;_ylt=Ahu06i62sR8HDtDypao8Wcj9tAcJ > > -- > http://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/python-list > -- http://search.goldwatches.com/?Search=Movado+Watches http://www.jewelerslounge.com http://www.goldwatches.com
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