Why is Python popular, while Lisp and Scheme aren't?

[Jay O'Connor]

In article <mailman.1036775171.6788.python-list at python.org>, "David
Garamond" <davegaramond at icqmail.com> wrote:

> Oleg wrote:
>> I don't know much about Python, but I looked at this comparison between
>> Python and Common Lisp (
>> http://www.norvig.com/python-lisp.html ), and I couldn't help but
>> wonder why Python is popular, while Common Lisp and Scheme aren't?
> 
> one sentence: "syntax matters." for people in denial, make it two: "yes
> it really does."
> 
> or, rephrased: indentation and "1+1" scare people less than parentheses
> and "(add 1 1)" or something like that.


Yes, I was a Python advocate in a TCL shop for awhile and had a hard time convincing
people that there was a qualitative difference between.

set x [lindex [lindex $var 5] 5]

and 

x = var[5][5]

-- 
Jay O'Connor
joconnor at cybermesa.com
http://www.r4h.org/r4hsoftware