From: Bob Calco <rcalco@...>
Date: 2001-04-22T23:19:31+09:00
Subject: [ruby-talk:14023] Re: From Guido, with love...

# > it's not just ruby they hate, they're equal opportunity
# language haters :/
#
# I am bit surpised at this.  I've been using Python for years now, and
# I've never found the group to disparage another programming language.
# There are quite a few Scheme and Lisp fans among the python users,
# for example, and they keep suggesting features from these languages
# which might be a good addition to python.  For example, Icon-like
# iterators are likely to appear in Python 2.2.  Ping has a PEP in,
# which looks like it will go through.

I too am surprised. There are know-it-alls on every newsgroup and email
group that like to take pot-shots at "stupid" questions, or make overly
generalized comments, like "they're equal opportunity language haters". On
my experience with Python, Perl and Ruby, I think the best thing I could
advise someone is "try to have some thick skin" for those rare occasions
when somebody sends you an obnoxious reply. For the most part though you
will get serious, thoughtful answers to your questions most of the time,
from more people than the few idiots who go out of their way to try to prove
how very smart they are (and, by logical extension, how smart you aren't).

Ruby has come of age under the "Ruby is much better than Python" banner, it
was sort of a rallying cry to generate interest, and it worked (and in some
cases is even true, though all in all I rate them about equal, but with
different strengths) -- no wonder Pythonistas are out in full battle array.
The fact is, however, that both languages are cool, and easier to use
overall than most others, a relative breeze to extend and embed, and
superlative choices for the purpose of OO scripting. The whole "My language
is bigger than your language" shootout is a bit juvenile to begin with.

Count me out on that debate.

# > well, i haven't directly flamed any python user yet...actually
# their reasons
# > for disliking ruby are probably the same as their reasons for
# disliking the
# > rest of the languages: it's not python :/

Yawn.

Sincerely,

Bob Calco