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

[Gareth McCaughan]

Carl Banks wrote:

> >> Python uses infix notation for math.  Most humans were brought up to
> >> understand infix.
> > 
> > Because Lisp has a powerful macro system, it is actually possible to
> > have an infix-macro, which lets you use infix-syntax.  And you can
> > write macros to support all sorts of weird syntax, if you want.
>  
>  The kind of person who writes an infix compiler in Lisp is not the
>  type of person who's going to be daunted by all the parentheses.
>  We're talking about the popularity of Lisp, which (as with all
>  languages) is largely determined by people who are not that kind of
>  person.

The person who writes it needn't be the same as the person who
uses it. There already exist things that let you use infix
syntax for mathematics in Lisp; you don't have to write them
for yourself.

I'm not sure anyone actually *uses* them, mind... :-)

-- 
Gareth McCaughan  Gareth.McCaughan at pobox.com
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