Why is this question so beloved? Re: Is python really slow?

[Chris]

"David LeBlanc" <whisper at oz.net> wrote in message news:<mailman.1022090021.10397.python-list at python.org>...
> This question is so beloved because it is in the nature of men to compete
> even when it's irrelevent. "My <fill in the blank> is <choose a superlative>
> then your <fill in the blank>".

I am in a situation where I want to learn a language that is capable
of being used to make coherent, larger applications. I know it can be
done in Perl, but my experience with it leads me to think that *I*
need something different. After investigating various languages, it
came down to either Python or C (for now at least). But as I delved
into Python more I became nervous that the implication of the regular
discussions hereabouts that involve dropping out of python into C at
X, Y and Z might be that python by itself is not up to this task.

I was beginning to feel like the unspoken sentiment was "if you want
to do something really cool in python, you will need to learn C as
well"

I am glad to find out otherwise for all the good reasons given in the
earlier thread. I simply don't have time right now to learn two more
languages and want to focus my efforts on that which will be of the
most use for me...  performance is an issue, but not the ultimate
issue!