C++ bad-mouthing (was: Why learn Python ??)

[Paul Rubin]

Donn Cave <donn at u.washington.edu> writes:
> I don't know if we're on very solid ground from which to laugh at
> C++, though.  Python has the advantage of a clean start, but from a
> software engineering standpoint it really seems like a hacker
> language.  Full of neat tricks that work like magic, but does it
> really even attempt to offer anything in the area you're talking about?

It makes some feeble ones but is somewhat hobbled by its origins as a
scripting or "glue" language.  Also, Python is really still in its
infancy.  Maybe after PyPy is completed, someone can try writing a
serious compiler for it, and the issues brought out by writing the
compiler can drive the design of a successor language, Python II or
whatever.

The one attempt I know of to write a substantial Python application
competitive with similar applications written in C was the Grail web
browser, and AFAIK that was a complete failure.  However, for small to
medium sized projects which don't have to run fast, Python is great.