[Tutor] Sun says: Don't use Java, use Python!

[Erik Price]

On Wednesday, February 12, 2003, at 07:45  AM, alan.gauld@bt.com wrote:

>>> ideally be implemented in a single file to make redistribution
>>> and configuration control easier. Javba breaks that model and
>>
>> A single file... you mean like a JAR file?
>
> Nope coz the jar is the unit of distribution not the unit of
> implementation. If somebody makes a change to a single class
> high is part of a category they have to issue a new Jar
> containing all of the classes in the original. We then have
> multiple Jars some with A B C and some with A B and C+.
> It becomes hard to know what has changed, what the impact is etc.
> If A B and C are in a single source file we can be sure that
> the .obj(or library) is consistent in its internal class versions.

Hm... I'm not trying to be argumentative, but it would seem to me that 
you could have this problem with any kind of versioned distributed 
product.  How does putting A B and C into a single source file ensure 
that the person who made the modification has tested that it is binary 
compatible with the rest of the package?

It seems to me that the JAR provides the convenience of a single file 
to distribute, but the cleanliness of separating out classes into 
separate files (even into hierarchies).  If the code really is 
production code, then I would hope that the developers would be using 
an ant script to compile and assemble the JAR which incorporates a test 
bed to ensure that everything inside the JAR is to spec etc.  Sure, 
there is a lot of room for error here, but I think the same is true of 
a Python module.

Don't get me wrong!  It probably sounds like I'm pooping on Python.  
I'm really not, I like Python.  But, even though I have limited 
experience with Java, I think it has some really nice features for 
making distributable code.  I'm open-minded to hear about alternative 
strategies for this, though.  I've never written code for public 
distribution myself (only for the two companies I've worked for), so 
any thoughts or comments on this subject are welcome.  Especially since 
I am working on a [personal] project as we speak that I intend to make 
freely available when it is ready.



Erik



-- 
Erik Price

email: erikprice@mac.com
jabber: erikprice@jabber.org