Use the Source Luke

[OKB (not okblacke)]

Tim Wintle wrote:

> However I think the biggest changes that have probably happened
> with python itself are:
> 
>  (1) More users for whom this is their first language.
>  (2) CS courses / training not teaching C (or pointer-based
>  languages). 
> 
> (2) is especially important IMO - under half of the python
> developers I have regularly worked with would feel comfortable
> reading C - so for the other half reading C source code probably
> isn't going to help them understand exactly what's going on
> (although in the long run it might help them a lot)

    	I'd just like to note that (2) applies to me in spades.  I'm not 
sure how many other people are in my position, but I use Python because 
I like how it works, and I do not want to use C because I find it 
insufferable.  I quite frequently look at the source of Python modules, 
although more often third-party modules than the standard lib, but if I 
have to look at the C source of something I basically stop and find 
another solution (possibly abandoning Python altogether for that usage).

    	I think, in general, the less anyone needs to know C even exists, 
the better for Python; likewise, the more that people have to mention 
the existence of C in a Python context, the worse for Python.  This may 
be a somewhat extreme viewpoint, but that's my position.

-- 
--OKB (not okblacke)
Brendan Barnwell
"Do not follow where the path may lead.  Go, instead, where there is
no path, and leave a trail."
	--author unknown