Python is just as good as C++ for real apps

[Kevin Altis]

Yes, it does need to be said. Are there more C++ programmers than Python
programmers? Are there more Java programmers than Python programmers? Are
there more Perl programmes than Python programmers? Are there more Visual
Basic programmers than Python programmers? The answer to all of these
questions is yes. Do you want to see more Python books? Do you want to see
Python covered as extensively in the press as Java or C# (the deluge is
coming)? Do you want to see more Python programming jobs available? Do you
want to see increased benefits from your Python knowledge? Then for every
Python programmer today, you want to get one or ten or a hundred or more
people using Python as well and I guarantee you'll benefit.

Python's popularity is hampered by the perception that it is not a good
language for many tasks, including building standalone GUI applications.
Whenever somebody proposes that an application be built using C/C++, C#,
Java, Visual Basic, etc. and Python isn't even on the list of candidates
that means Python does not have the mindshare it should. The perception that
Python is "just a scripting language" and that somehow scripting is inferior
to using a "real language" is just plain wrong.

While we work to make Python libraries, tools, and environments that equal
or surpass those available for other languages we need to be proactive in
our public relations and marketing efforts and spread the message of the
benefits of Python to those that have not seen the light.

ka

"Kragen Sitaker" <kragen at pobox.com> wrote in message
news:83pu42qgl6.fsf at panacea.canonical.org...
> "Kevin Altis" <altis at semi-retired.com> writes:
>
> > Python is just as good as C++ for real apps
>
> That doesn't even need to be said, does it?  Anybody who's written
> real apps in both already knows this.  I would say C++ is almost as
> good as Python for real apps, except where speed of development
> matters.  Python is free of most of C++'s major scaling limitations
> and hidden pitfalls.
>
>