On 2010-11-04, Mark Wooding <m...@distorted.org.uk> wrote: > Seebs <usenet-nos...@seebs.net> writes: >> Python's the only language I use where an obvious flaw, which is >> repeatedly observed by everyone I know who uses the language, is >> militantly and stridently defended by dismissing, insulting, and >> attacking the character and motives of anyone who suggests that it >> might be a bit of a nuisance.
> So you've not tried Lisp, then? Dissing Lisp's parentheses tends to get > a pretty similar reaction. I don't use it. I'm also not as sure that the parens are an obvious flaw -- I am not aware of whole categories of software which regularly destroy parens. > * I /do/ have a significant problem with cutting and pasting code in > Python. In most languages, I can haul a chunk of code about, hit > C-M-q, and Emacs magically indents the result properly. This is, > unfortunately, impossible with Python. It has caused me real bugs, > and I have to be extra careful to fix the indentation up. That was the thing which bit me the worst. I had a fairly large block of code in a first-pass ugly program. I wanted to start refactoring it, so I moved a big hunk of code into a method (with plans to further refactor). It took about fifteen minutes to redo the logic. > I /like/ Python. I use it frequently. I /don't/ want to change its > structure marked by indentation. I'm /willing/ to put up with some > inconvenience because Python makes up for it in other ways. But there > /is/ inconvenience, and it does need putting up with. I think the > benefits are worth the costs; others may disagree. That makes sense to me. I think it depends a lot on what I compare Python to. I get along quite well with Ruby, but I loathe PHP. Comparing Python to Ruby, I find the indentation quite annoying. Comparing Python to PHP, I find the indentation a very mild price to pay for my sanity. -s -- Copyright 2010, all wrongs reversed. Peter Seebach / usenet-nos...@seebs.net http://www.seebs.net/log/ <-- lawsuits, religion, and funny pictures http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fair_Game_(Scientology) <-- get educated! I am not speaking for my employer, although they do rent some of my opinions. -- http://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/python-list