From: "Eric I." <rubytraining@...>
Date: 2008-07-05T07:55:10+09:00
Subject: Re: Does Ruby have any advantage over Python to create semantic applications?

Hi Costan,

On Fri, Jul 4, 2008 at 3:37 PM, Costan <CMValma@gmail.com> wrote:
> I'm trying to choose between Ruby of Python as almost my first
> programming language (I started more that 10 years ago to study
> Computer Science but I changed major). The reason is that I want to
> create an application (I'll create a start-up with more people later
> on) that is very demanding in semantic search capabilities and
> creating lots of theory-like relations... I heard that ruby could have
> some advantages over Python in how manages language... This was
> discussed though... Is there anyone there that can answer this with
> concrete arguments? Why do you think it is or it is not?

Your description is not clear enough for me to say whether Ruby would
have any natural advantage over Python.  Both are dynamically typed
which *might* be helpful to your needs.

> Forget about the following question if it sounds too cumbersome: I
> heard the word 'prototype' in the same conversation about Ruby and
> natural language and I wondered if it could have anything to do with
> the Rosch's theory about how concepts and categories work. Does it?

I'm familiar with Eleanor Rosch's thoughts on categories (and I
believe she made a very good case for them!), and I can say pretty
definitively there is no relation.  It's also a little unclear what
meaning of "prototype" you heard in your discussion about Ruby.  It
could refer to a JavaScript library (often used with a Rails web app),
or a technique of object-oriented programming (used in the JavaScript
language and which Ruby can mimic to some degree), or that Ruby, being
a dynamically typed language, is very nice for prototyping software
ideas with.  But no matter which meaning you were referring to, it's
pretty different from what Rosch was talking about.

I hope that helps,

Eric

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