python vs ecmascript

[Neil Hodgson]

Peoter Veili:

> Anyone familiar with ECMAscript (JavaScript)?  How does it
> compare to Python?  I studied ECMAscript last year, people
> have an aversion to it from doing web client programming,
> but it is a high-powered OO scripting language in its own right.

   I have done quite a bit of work in both languages and while I prefer
Python, do not mind ECMAScript that much.

   ECMAScript benefits include a real standard (ECMA) definition and
multiple implementations on a wide variety of platforms. For client-side
scripting of web applications it is really the only viable cross-platform
solution. Python's use of indentation, which is a big benefit for
stand-alone code, is more difficult when interleaved with HTML or as inline
code for event handlers.

   ECMAScript has been an easy language for newcomers and people who only
want to do a minimal amount of scripting. However, ECMAScript is moving in
the direction of a 'real' language with type declarations and similar
features which are good for experienced developers but an impediment to this
earlier usage group.

   Many of the points put forward by the other posters are also good, such
as the large number of useful Python libraries.

   Neil