should i learn it first ?

[phil hunt]

On Sun, 10 Mar 2002 20:01:02 GMT, Grant Edwards <grante at visi.com> wrote:
>In article <slrna8mogf.6ek.philh at comuno.freeserve.co.uk>, phil hunt wrote:
>> On Sat, 09 Mar 2002 22:57:42 -0500, Peter Hansen <peter at engcorp.com> wrote:
>>>
>>>I agree with much of what you say, especially the "consider skipping
>>>C++ and just learn C part", but _what_ pragmatic point of view is it
>>>that has one learning Perl, Java, or C++ when one uses Python already?
>>>Not dissing those languages, but when would you really need them?
>> 
>> I can think of several tasks for which C++ is better than Python, 
>> e.g. writing operating systems, network stacks, windowing systems, 
>> run-time interpreters, crypto algorithms, etc.
>
>And I can think of several languages which are better than C++
>for those tasks:  Modula-2, Modula-3, Ada, Bliss-32...

Not if you take into account factors such as availability of 
compilers, libraries, reference works, programmers etc.

Sometimes, the popularity of a language is itself a factor 
determining how good it is. For certain values of "good", of course.

-- 
<"><"><"> Philip Hunt <philh at comuno.freeserve.co.uk> <"><"><">
"I would guess that he really believes whatever is politically 
advantageous for him to believe." 
                        -- Alison Brooks, referring to Michael
                              Portillo, on soc.history.what-if