Python syntax in Lisp and Scheme

[Pascal Bourguignon]

"Andrew Dalke" <adalke at mindspring.com> writes:
> And here's Table 31-2

Sorted by statement per function point:
 
                           Statements per
Language          Level    Function Point
--------          -----    --------------
spreadsheets      ~50            6
Smalltalk (80 & V) 15           20
AWK                15           25
Perl               15           25
SAS, SPSS, etc.    10           30
Visual Basic 3     10           30
Paradox             9           35
dBase IV            9           35
Focus               8           40
Oracle              8           40
Sybase              8           40
C++                 6.5         50
Quick Basic 3       5.5         60
Lisp                5           65
Ada 83              4.5         70
Modula 2            4           80
Cobol (ANSI 85)     3.5         90
Pascal              3.5         90
GW Basic            3.25       100
Fortran 77          3          110
C                   2.5        125
Macro assembler     1.5        215
Assembler           1          320

>   Source: Adapted from data in 'Programming Languages
>                                     Table' (Jones 1995a)
> 
> 
> I'll use Perl as a proxy for Python; given that that was pre-OO
> Perl I think it's reasonable that that sets a minimum level for
> Python.  Compare the Lisp and Perl numbers
> 
> Lisp                5           65
> Perl               15           25
> 
> and the differences in "statements per function point" (which isn't
> quite "LOC per function point") is striking.  It suggests that
> Python is more than twice as concise as Lisp, so if LOC is
> used as the estimate for implementation time then it's a strong
> recommendation to use Python instead of Lisp because it
> will take less time to get the same thing done.  And I do believe
> Lisp had macros back in the mid-1990s.


Some differences in  this table look suspect to  me.  Perhaps they did
not  take into account  other important  factors, such  as the  use of
libraries.

For  example, when  I write  awk code,  I really  don't feel  like I'm
programming  in a  higher level  languange than  LISP... (and  I won't
mention perl).

Also, the ordering of Fortran  vs. C fell strange (given the libraries
I use in C and the fact that I don't use Fortran).


-- 
__Pascal_Bourguignon__
http://www.informatimago.com/
Do not adjust your mind, there is a fault in reality.