Is python worth learning as a second language?

[Tim Rowe]

2009/3/9 ZikO <zebik at op.pl>:

> Do you think python would be good complementary language for C++? Do you
> think it's worth learning it or let's say try Java? and how difficult it
> would be for me if I know C++ pretty well I would say?

We're not exactly impartial advisors in here ;-)

I reckon Python and C++ make a good pairing, because:

- Python is far enough from C++ for each language to give you things
that the other doesn't (as opposed to Java; if I were still a C++
programmer I would only be interested in Java as a replacement for
C++, not to use alongside it);

- Python is far enough from C++ for you not to get confused over the
syntax; when I was learning Java I kept forgetting it wasn't C++ and
throwing in bits of C++ code! That never happened with Python

- Python integrates well with C++, at least for single-thread systems.

Python has a fairly shallow learning curve -- a reasonable programmer
can become productive in Python very quickly. For one programmer's
experience of learning Python have a look at
http://www.python.org/about/success/esr/ (although I grant that Eric
Raymond might count slightly higher than just a /reasonable/
programmer!)

-- 
Tim Rowe