Python syntax in Lisp and Scheme

[Russell Wallace]

On 03 Oct 2003 18:51:38 +0100, Alexander Schmolck <a.schmolck at gmx.net>
wrote:

>I'd be interested to hear your reasons. *If* you take the sharp distinction
>that python draws between statements and expressions as a given, then python's
>syntax, in particular the choice to use indentation for block structure, seems
>to me to be the best choice among what's currently on offer (i.e. I'd claim
>that python's syntax is objectively much better than that of the C and Pascal
>descendants

I'll claim C's syntax is objectively better - it has a clean
definition whereas Python's hasn't. Python isn't even consistent - it
uses whitespace some of the time and delimiters some of the time; if
it stuck to the decision to use whitespace it might be a bit less
repellent. Also Python's syntax has a whole category of pitfalls that
C's lacks.

In truth, though, my reason for being unwilling to use Python for
anything other than throwaway scripting isn't based on objective
criteria, it's based on a visceral revulsion - it just _feels_ wrong.
If Python feels right to you, then you should by all means use it.

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