From: Albert Wagner <alwagner@...>
Date: 2001-07-23T09:53:12+09:00
Subject: [ruby-talk:18310] Re: Ruby as opposed to Python?

Hi, Mark.  

On Sunday 22 July 2001 16:43, you wrote:
> Hello. I have toyed with the idea of trying Ruby out for some time now.
> However, I have not found any major feature that puts it enough above
> Python. Most of the differences I have come across (in "comparison with
> other languages") seem to be pretty insignificant (minor differences) in
> terms of selecting a language to use for major projects.

What attracted me to Ruby from Python was the fact that it was pure OOP, not 
an addon as in Python.  For a language to be fun for me, it must be more than 
just a collection of addon features.  Ruby has a design integrity that I 
found lacking in Python.  I don't find the differences between a pure OOP 
language and a hybrid language to be "insignificant" nor a "minor difference."

<snip>
> In the interview with the Programming Ruby authors, they say "Ruby will
> overtake Python within four years". On what basis do you supose they make
> this claim? What is the most obvious driving force that they feel will
> cause this change?

Ruby is younger than Python and therefore still lacks the wide range of 
bindings to c/c++ libraries.  To my mind, this could take up to four years.

>
> Anyways,  I look forward to getting some mor information on these matters.