ML & Python question

[Jason Cunliffe]

A very well respected programmer friend was yesterday trying to tell me
about SML [ML].
Part of his encouragment to me was simply to go deeper into programming
abstraction and develop better [safer] techniques.

I argued feebly that although I love studying programming, I am effectively
an incompetent novice programmer - and not too confident in this lifetime
that I will attain great fluency. Which is why I love Python - it
immediately makes me sane and comfortable. It's fun and gives me hope that I
and will seriously improve over time, with practice and concentration.

He mentioned problems which languages like ML avoid. I replied that my
impression was that Python seems to avoid a lot of confusing code and that
others appeared to love it for its inherent clarity etc..  Among the many
reasons I gave for liking Python, this news group and the quality of its
community are high on my list.

>>> Please, Can anyone here provide a intro to what SML is and how Python
relates to it?

This is really not intended as Python vs. flame bait question - I am
interested to expand my progamming horizons and am hoping people here might
help me to do so.

Happy New Year and best wishes in 2001
+ thanks very much to you all for contributing so wonderfully to cpl.

- Jason
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Jason CUNLIFFE = NOMADICS['Interactive Art and Technology']