[Edu-sig] Why Python?

[chris at seberino.org]

On Tue, Apr 13, 2010 at 10:30:49AM -0700, David MacQuigg wrote:
> Good observation.  I wasn't thinking of parallel computing at all.  I
> can see a need for something very different in this realm.  I'll stick
> with my original bet, however, if we limit our consideration to
> "mainstream" languages.  I will bet that languages like Fortress,
> designed to deal with concurrency, will be used only by specialists, and
> that the majority just needing to process payroll records or program a
> website, will stick with whatever evolves from Python.

I agree.  When speed isn't important, there is no reason to welcome the added
complexity of concurrent programming.

> That's not to say the 1% is unimportant.  Here we will find brilliant
> programmers working on sophisticated techniques to break large problems
> into pieces that can be executed concurrently by hundreds of processors.
> Each problem is very different, and we may find programs for circuit
> simulation using very different techniques than programs for weather
> prediction.  These programs will be run in an environment controlled by
> Python.  The circuit designer or atmospheric scientist will not be
> concerned about the details of concurrency, as long as the result is fast
> and accurate.

Interesting observation.  Python would still be useful in a world with
concurrent tools as a glue language at worst.