[LAU] [OT]: Scripting and programming languages (WAS: No batch processing on Linux?)

[Lorenzo]

Arnold Krille wrote:
[...]
>>>> On Sat, Sep 25, 2010 at 8:06 AM, Joel Roth<joelz at pobox.com>  wrote:
>>>>> I guess I am reacting to what I imagine is language
>>>>> preference projected onto absolute judgment on merits of a
>>>>> particular language.
>>>>>
>>>>> Perhaps you are speaking from years of software development
>>>>> experience.

>>>>> I have quite a lot of (mostly enjoyable) experience writing Perl over
>>>>> the years, including some fairly big programs, and hardly any
>>>>> experience with Python (a language I dislike on instinct).
I guess programming languages are, first of all, the tools one uses for 
telling computers ('stupid' machines) what to do. So the choice of the 
tool depends on many factors amongst which personal preference. Of 
course using bash to write a DAW wouldn't probably be the best choice, 
but if anyone managed to... praise to them! :)
>>>>> But my experience with Perl has been that returning to my own projects is
>>>>> harder than it should be, and harder than in languages like C and C++.
[...]
>>> Python actually forces you to be more disciplined. Which really make
>>> returning to the code easy.
>> Isn't this only about indentation? Indentation might be important for
>> readability, but whether it's forced by the language or not doesn't seem
>> to be such a big deal for me.
> Don't underestimate that!
>
[...]
> With python it seems to be "only" intendation, but this results in clearer
> structures of code and less parenthesis. Which results in a much higher
> readability. Sure, you can write readable code in other languages too. But how
> many people do you know that write readable code (in non-python) when the
> projects deadline is only two weeks away?
I agree. In the last few years I've really come to love python... I also 
find it one of the best languages when it comes to 'writing down' an 
idea, an algorithm etc. without being 'berried' by the language syntax, 
idioms etc. (the indentation is well worth the semicolon saving :)). The 
nice thing of python is that it allows both functional 
'hackerish-script' for quick and dirty stuff and very elegant 
object-oriented styles (and if you like you can even mix them). Even the 
first seems always 'cleaner' and more readable than many other languages.

Much of it, I guess, is also thanks to the ability of running python 
'real-time' and experimenting with it... A bit like pd for audio where 
you can hack and experiment (prototype?) stuff in real time and then 
make the 'real' app/script when you are ready.

But again... What would life be without variety?

Lorenzo
> And pythons inbuilt documentation-system saves you another three days of that
> deadline...
>
> Have fun,
>
> Arnold
>
>
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