Sermon on technique (was: Choosing Perl/Python for my particular niche)

[Cameron Laird]

In article <40661C14.8365E058 at doe.carleton.ca>,
Fred Ma  <fma at doe.carleton.ca> wrote:
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>I realize that my inclination to write my own code sort of contradicts my want
>to springboard off of existing Perl code base.  I only had a vague idea of the
>benefits of this, since I don't actually program in Perl right now.  There are
>several points I've tried to determine the relevance of.  On one hand, I've
>looked at and hacked Perl code to get things done, so knowing Perl helps.  On
>the other hand I need a good way to repackage data for different applications,
>in which case I'll compose code from scratch.  For this, I would appricate the
>lesser pain and greater ease of Python (I imagine).  On yet another hand, I use
>Perl-based packages like the verilog-to-C++ translator, but I don't expect to
>delve into such a complicated package, whose complexity probably lies in more
>than just use of the Perl language.  Finally, and most vaguest of all, I have
>this idea that I might eventually be sharing Perl code, collaborating in its
>composition, or revising/maintaining it.  If "synergy" in that form is actually
>typical in my area of specialization, then of course it would make sense to
>start with Perl first, since that is the prevalent language in this area.
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One of the hardest things in science (and business,
and romance, and ...) is to deal with uncertainty
and incompleteness.  Yup:  you have countervailing
criteria.  Figuring out the true optimum is a bigger
project than the CAD engineering you claim as your
goal.  At some point--probably this weekend, from 
the sound of it--you need to make decisions, and 
move forward.  They might be wrong decisions, on 
narrow technical grounds.  Good scientists make
wrong decisions all the time.  Don't let 'em get in
the way of your science--that's all.

You've done a good job thinking about what you want,
and what's available.  Good luck with your combina-
torics.
-- 

Cameron Laird <claird at phaseit.net>
Business:  http://www.Phaseit.net