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[Seebs]

On 2010-11-04, Mark Wooding <mdw at distorted.org.uk> wrote:
> Seebs <usenet-nospam at seebs.net> writes:
>> Python's the only language I use where an obvious flaw, which is
>> repeatedly observed by everyone I know who uses the language, is
>> militantly and stridently defended by dismissing, insulting, and
>> attacking the character and motives of anyone who suggests that it
>> might be a bit of a nuisance.

> So you've not tried Lisp, then?  Dissing Lisp's parentheses tends to get
> a pretty similar reaction.

I don't use it.  I'm also not as sure that the parens are an obvious
flaw -- I am not aware of whole categories of software which regularly
destroy parens.

>   * I /do/ have a significant problem with cutting and pasting code in
>     Python.  In most languages, I can haul a chunk of code about, hit
>     C-M-q, and Emacs magically indents the result properly.  This is,
>     unfortunately, impossible with Python.  It has caused me real bugs,
>     and I have to be extra careful to fix the indentation up.

That was the thing which bit me the worst.  I had a fairly large block
of code in a first-pass ugly program.  I wanted to start refactoring
it, so I moved a big hunk of code into a method (with plans to further
refactor).  It took about fifteen minutes to redo the logic.

> I /like/ Python.  I use it frequently.  I /don't/ want to change its
> structure marked by indentation.  I'm /willing/ to put up with some
> inconvenience because Python makes up for it in other ways.  But there
> /is/ inconvenience, and it does need putting up with.  I think the
> benefits are worth the costs; others may disagree.

That makes sense to me.  I think it depends a lot on what I compare
Python to.  I get along quite well with Ruby, but I loathe PHP.  Comparing
Python to Ruby, I find the indentation quite annoying.  Comparing Python to
PHP, I find the indentation a very mild price to pay for my sanity.

-s
-- 
Copyright 2010, all wrongs reversed.  Peter Seebach / usenet-nospam at seebs.net
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I am not speaking for my employer, although they do rent some of my opinions.