Re: deciding between ruby and python

On Mon, 29 Mar 2004 19:05:03 +0200, Serve Lau wrote:

> Wasn't python designed with ease of use as top priority? Surely there
> must be some differences there? Easier to express things in ruby, more
> power or something?

Ruby-ists, IMO, are generally reluctant to make qualitative statements
about Python vs. Ruby. Partly this is because we're inherently
non-confrontational :-) Partly this is because we've been burned by the
occasional troll who always starts out with mild Python vs. Ruby
questions. Partly because it's near-impossible to define "better" such
that everybody agrees. (How would you measure the "power" of a programming
language?)

Mostly, though, I think it's because it's difficult to talk to
non-Rubyists about Ruby's attraction. The attraction is mostly subjective,
mostly having to do with the amount of "fun" we have writing Ruby. This is
encouraged by Matz, who has repeatedly said that he thinks programming
should be fun and that he has tried to make it fun to write programs with
Ruby.

Personally I think that it's time for programming-language designers (and
users) to get past strictly objective goals. I'm bored to tears with
"shoot-outs" and benchmarks. However, I was and remain excited by Matz'
conception of a language that "feels good" to use. Certainly I have fun
programming Ruby. Frequently I'm delighted, especially when I realize that
I have written a complete, correct, and robust program in about 75% of the
time I expected it to take. I'm also proud that I've learned so much about
OO programming by using Ruby.

I recognize that not everybody will find programmming Ruby as much fun as
I do. You bring your own background, experiences, and preconceptions to
the table, and it may well be that you will find yourself more in tune
with Python.

Therefore, I'll echo what earlier posters have said: sample both. Read the
Pickaxe online. Borrow a Python book. Write the same 20 line script in
both languages. Sample the postings in the respective n.g.'s to get a feel
for the communities. Within a day or two you'll find yourself favoring one
or the other. The languages don't care which one you pick and either way
you'll personally be ahead.

If you decide to concentrate on Ruby for a while, welcome to the club!