From: W Kent Starr <elderburn@...>
Date: 2002-09-05T02:11:01+09:00
Subject: Re: Ruby aesthetics

On Tue, 2002-09-03 at 15:02, William Djaja Tjokroaminata wrote:

> 
> I used Perl before I used Python.  The primary driving force behind the
> switch from Perl to Python is the special issue of "Linux Magazine" on
> Python (even until now I think the Linux Magazine editors are still Python
> supporters)

Jon "mddog" Hall is openly an advocate of Python over perl and of Vim
over Emacs (or any other editor, or even word processor). During his
active stint at Linux Journal (he is still on the editorial advisory
board) his views were strongly influential in the formation of the
corporate culture there. :-) At the time, Ruby was not well-known
outside of Japan. 

> Then when I finally switched from Python to Ruby, I felt like I switched
> to "a (very much) better Perl" than to "a better Python".  In other words,
> there is no question regarding comparison between Perl and Ruby; but
> Python and Perl, well, let's just say that the two are different :)

IMO the isuue is not Ruby vs Python or Ruby vs perl; it is Ruby vs Java,
but selling that case to mainstream corporate America is a long uphill
climb.
 ...
> 
> Regarding whether Matz knew Python or not before he wrote Ruby, let's ask
> Matz...

IIRC, Matz has stated that both Python and perl were influences in his
design, as were Smalltalk, Lisp and other languages. Ruby wa a result of
his dissatisfaction with one or more of the characteristics of all of
the languages he was using.

Regards,

Kent Starr