Is Python worth Learning & Could Python supplant Java

[Bradley D. Larson]

I  have degrees. .... and.... I know of others with degrees that cant
think their way out of a wet paper bag once you get out of their
little world.

My measurement has become an even mix of:
    1. experience
    2. enthusiasm

I have had employees with years of experience but need dynamite to get them
motivated. I have had other employees that are willing to do anything "....just
tell me what to do".
I personally don't have the time to baby sit either.  However, I prefer the
experience.

Hopefully one will gain some experience during the education process, although not
a guarantee. I say to myself.... "show me what you've done lately!"  If you are
still working on the same thing you were 5 years ago.. I'll look elsewhere.

I've programmed in just about everything from dibol to assembly  with most of it in

C/C++ and assembly.  I've been using Python for the last two years as my primary
language for everything from "process control" to "user interfaces" and have been
pleasantly surprised by the speed I can develop a product.

For those of you who think that if you have a hammer (C/C++, Java, Python,
Lisp,etc...) everything is a nail..... you not only have deluded your selves as to
your knowledge and experience but have betrayed your lack of knowledge to
everyone else!

Where is this all going?   Programming is a thought process of organizing data
structures and algorithms (there used to be a Pascal book named something
like that).  Programming is not ... I'm a C programmer, I'm a Java Programmer.

Learn to Program! Period.... independent of the language.  Python FORCES good
practices for the most part. Basic, VB, C do not enforce them (there used to be
contests on code obfuscation of C code!).

Matthew Sherborne wrote:

>
> >>>>If you want a good job, you'll need a degree.
> >>>
> >>>Nope.  Degree helps, but it's not needed.
>
> I have no degree, and am head of software development (in a small
> company allbeit).
> ...snip...
> now I interview others, and I gave one person a job who had a nice
> portfolio of work over another person who had 3 degrees.


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