Article of interest: Python pros/cons for the enterprise

[Nicola Musatti]

On Feb 21, 4:00 pm, Tim Chase <python.l... at tim.thechases.com> wrote:
> > Newbies learn, and the fundamental C++ lessons are usually
> > learnt quite easily.
>
> Ah yes...that would be why Scott Meyers has written three
> volumes[1] cataloging the gotchas that even experienced C++
> programmers can make...

Scott Meyers's books don't just catalogue gotcha's, but suggest
effective ways to use the language. Moreover their combined word count
is probably below the "Python Cookbook"'s one.

> And the 1030 page Stroustrup C++ reference is easily comprehended
> by the uninitiated[2].  The Python core language is a mere 97
> pgs.  The documentation for the *entire* standard library is
> about the size of just the C++ Language Reference.[3]

A more reasonable comparison would be against the core portion of the C
++ standard. This is still roughly three times the Python Reference
Manual. The C++ syntax is way more complex than Python's and mostly
due to its C heritage is also often inconsistent. However, despite its
apparent semplicity, Python allows extremely advanced programming
techniques. I wouldn't be surprised if the proportion of Python
programmers that are capable of exploiting the language's full power
was comparable to the corresponding proportion of C++ expert
programmers.

While I find the Python standard library documentation adequate for a
free, voluntary effort,  I consider it one of the weakest spots of
Python as a professional tool. Still comparing its size against
Stroustrup's book's is really comparing apples with oranges.

> Assembly language is pretty easy to learn too.  But is it a
> productive use of a programmer's time?  Only if it's 1975.

It depends on the task at hand.

Cheers,
Nicola Musatti