Python 1.6 The balanced language

[jurgen.defurne at philips.com]

>> But I (and many other
>>people) can vouch that these mechanisms are very effective in writing
>>very 'large' programs in a surprisingly small number of lines.

>Except COBOL, everything can be written in a very small number
>of lines, it depends if the programmer knows "the art" or if
>he's a hardwirer !

Even with COBOL it is possible, if you use the structured programming rules
you apply in other languages. The problem with most COBOL coders is that
they haven't learned the proper use of subroutines (CALL statement) or even
try to use SECTIONs to their advantage to make code smaller. Another mistake they
often make is not understanding how to use arrays, I can't count the occasions
on which I have reduced programs in size just bij eliminating statements of the
form MOVE ... TO VAR1
     MOVE ... TO VAR2
by using proper arrays.

Jurgen