From: A Bull in the China Shop of Life <feoh@...>
Date: 2001-08-09T03:31:31+09:00
Subject: [ruby-talk:19387] Re: Perl/Python/Ruby common backend  (Parrot, can Ruby play too?)

On Thu, 9 Aug 2001, Phil Tomson wrote:

> In article <Bw4c7.1810$qm1.37196@e420r-atl3.usenetserver.com>,
> A Bull in the China Shop of Life  <feoh@fourfuzzies.org> wrote:
> >At 02:37 PM 8/8/01 +0900, Mathieu Bouchard spewed forth:
> 
> >All this debate about Python vs Ruby is of questionable value IMO, they're 
> >two different languages with largely competitive feature sets (What one 
> >lacks the other makes up for in different areas)  and varying levels of 
> >maturity in any given area.
> 
> There was no intent for this thread to devolve into a 'Python vs. Ruby' 
> thread.  The whole idea here is to open a dialog about the needs of each 
> language as it relates to the Perl6 backend (Now apparently being called 
> Parrot).  So far I think we're doing pretty well ;-)
> 
> >
> >Tool to task - I use Python in cases where Ruby isn't up to snuff yet (e.g. 
> >MacOS classic AE/Apple-Scripting, more extensive win32/OLE/COM support, 
> >etc) but mostly for scripting tasks, whereas I see Ruby as being a more 
> >elegant general programming language suited to solving complex problems 
> >which happens to also be quite good at UNIX (and somewhat more limited 
> >win32) scripting.
> 
> Python has it's place, Ruby has it's place, Perl has it's place.  In many 
> cases it's a matter of personal preference.
> 
> >
> >I also use Python at work where introducing a new language simply isn't 
> >kosher, and that's Okay because Python fills the bill nicely there.
> >
> 
> Well, here's another way to look at it:  It is indeed hard to convince 
> management to let you use a different language.  In terms of the number of 
> developers (and hence the number of sites using a particular language) 
> Perl is the leader by far (in the set [Perl,Python,Ruby]).  Efforts in the 
> direction of having a common backend for Perl6,Python and Ruby can only 
> help Python's and Ruby's acceptance (Boss: "You're using Perl, right?", 
> Programmer1: "Well, of course we're using Perl."... later,Programmer1 to 
> Programmer2: "You prefer Ruby, I prefer Python, the boss likes Perl - it's 
> nice that we can use the language of our choice and it all works together";-)
> 
> "You may say I'm a dreamer, but I'm not the only one" - John Lennon
> 
> Phil

FYI I'm rather embarrassed at this post, it was a botch, I thought this
was a continuation of the same tired old thread.

Sorry :)

-Chris
(A common backend sounds like a really good idea, would this make it
easier to port to Microsoft's .NET/CLR too?)