merits of Lisp vs Python

[Bill Atkins]

Steven D'Aprano <steve at REMOVE.THIS.cybersource.com.au> writes:

> On Sat, 09 Dec 2006 17:01:15 -0500, Ken Tilton wrote:
>
>>> How's this a good thing? I don't need a Python environment to grok
>>> Python code.
>> 
>> How would that be a bad thing? Do you do a lot of programming without a 
>> Python environment. But I love the wall of flak you are throwing up. :)
>
> Actually, yes, sometimes it is useful to print code out and read it on the
> train, or in the bath, without the advantage of syntax highlighting,
> pretty-printing, parenthesis-balancing or code folding. Not necessarily as
> pleasant as having all those things, but it is nice that working Python
> code is, by definition, already formatted correctly for pretty printing.
> Even if you're stuck on some god-forsaken Windows PC with just Notepad,
> you can still read Python code.
>
> Now, *writing* Python code with Notepad isn't as easy, but it is still
> doable. How about Lisp code?

Of course we can read Lisp without IDE's; we look for indentation cues
just as you guys do.

> That's not a criticism of Lisp exactly, but a reminder to think about not
> just what problem you're trying to solve, but what resources you will have
> to solve it. If you *know* that you're going to need to edit code by
> ssh-ing across an high-latency connection to a machine without Emacs, then
> Lisp will probably not be the best solution.

Oh no?  Emacs lets you save and write files over an SSH connection,
even if you end up in the strange straw man situation you're
describing ("yeah, but can you edit Lisp if your keyboard doesn't have
paren keys?").