Python vs. Perl

[Ian Bicking]

Jon Perez wrote:
> Michael McGarry wrote:
> 
>> I intend to use a scripting language for GUI development and front end 
>> code for my simulations in C. I want a language that can support SQL, 
>> Sockets, File I/O, and shell interaction.
> 
> 
> In my experience, Python is definitely much more suitable than Perl
> for the first four areas mentioned in the last sentence.  For the
> last area, I'm not sure, but Python's capabilities in this area are
> also quite good.

Shell interaction (or rather, external process interaction) is a lot 
better with Python 2.4's subprocess module.  Better or worse than Perl? 
  I'm not sure; generally I'd guess better, as it avoids the shell with 
all the shell's issues, and provides a more controlled programmatic way 
of interacting with subprocesses.  OTOH, Perl might have perfectly good 
modules for doing the same thing.  I can only say it's been missing for 
a while in Python, and it's good to see this done right.

-- 
Ian Bicking  /  ianb at colorstudy.com  /  http://blog.ianbicking.org