On Sun March 12 2006 23:21, Paul Winkler wrote:
Python is
in the same category as COBOL for me.... it has
stupid indentation tricks.
http://www.python.org/doc/faq/general/#why-does-python-use-ind
entation-for-grouping-of-statements
http://blog.ianbicking.org/brief-defense-of-significant-whites
pace.html
Yeah, great, Python advocates defending Python's one true coding
style. I'm sure it does aid in tracking down syntax errors, as
the FAQ says, but I'd rather not be penalized for other people's
inability to type "control-alt-\". Nor for accidentally typing
"alt-Q" or doing something that converts tabs to spaces or vice
versa and ending up with a program that, had it been Perl or C,
would still run fine, could even be made to look pretty again
with three keys, but is a pile of meaningless nonsense to Python
because 30 years' worth of tools have been written using the de
facto standard that says whitespace is compressible and
interchangeable, almost all of which the Python authors decided
was just not that important.
All of which can also be applied to COBOL, which is why Python
and COBOL share a special place in my list of language
preferences. I'll fix the programs when they break, but I won't
code in them unless you pay me a lot of money.
But since there's no MusicPython or MusicCOBOL yet, I guess it's
a moot point.
Rob