RELEASED Python 2.3.4, release candidate 1

[Ville Vainio]

>>>>> "Chris" == Hornberger, Chris <Chris.Hornberger at blackrock.com> writes:

    Chris> Point being, if the developers of Python (and Perl and
    Chris> .... so on) spent so much time and energy creating
    Chris> something cross platform, it should be used thusly. I'm not

Languages (and to a lesser extent, libraries) have a long tradition of
being cross platform. Applications don't.

    Chris> saying it's "evil" not to do so, I'm saying that if you
    Chris> NEED platform-specific tools (which, let's be honest,
    Chris> happens WAY more frequently on Windows), then use a
    Chris> platform-specific tool.

I don't see the logic here. Platform specific tool isn't necessarily
superior on the platform. It's just restricted to the platform.

    Chris> RAD/GUI tool than VB (your opinions vary, I'm sure). Nor is
    Chris> there a better "server side" scripting tool than Perl (I
    Chris> like Python better, but that's just me). Java does a

So you think Python is better, but then praise that perl as superior,
because someone else might think so? This is c.l.py, I would guess
most people here think Python is superior for "server side"
scripting.

    Chris> Any mechanic or tradesman will tell you, 1/2 the job is
    Chris> knowing which "right tool for the job" is right.

The analogy of "right tool for the job" is more usable for choosing
the correct libraries or even algorithms than choosing the
language. Choosing the language is about choosing the right
toolbox. The Python toolbox has all the tools. If you need to do
something platform specific, you just add some extra tools to the tidy
compartments of the box, not throw away the whole box and search for
another toolbox, which has much less tools, is messy anw whatnot, with
the sole virtue of being cross platform.

Briefly: "right tool for the job" analogy is severely abused in
contexts in which it doesn't apply.

-- 
Ville Vainio   http://tinyurl.com/2prnb