From: Dan Doel <djd15@...>
Date: 2004-04-30T15:18:17+09:00
Subject: Re: How's ruby compare to it older brother python

I'm not saying the topic isn't appropriate. I don't mind the topic, and I find
comparisons between languages interesting, and enjoy reading them. But,
looking around at ruby talk, I found clear Python vs. Ruby threads fom:

Apr 26, 2004 (this one)

Mar 28, 2004
http://blade.nagaokaut.ac.jp/cgi-bin/scat.rb/ruby/ruby-talk/95984

Feb  1, 2004
http://blade.nagaokaut.ac.jp/cgi-bin/scat.rb/ruby/ruby-talk/91151

I don't know that Python and Ruby change so fast that they need to be
discussed anew every month.  And besides, when a new Python or
Perl feature is announced, it is often talked about here, and the new
features are the only really new things to discuss. I personally find those
sorts of discussions more interesting than general "compare Ruby to Python"
threads.

Not to mention that Ruby vs. Python threads often turn more towards the
flame battles that you and I both enjoy doing without on this list. People end
up being misinformed on both ends, so they often debate on and on getting
madder and madder, and so on.

Not to mention, that whenever I think of a Python vs. Ruby thread, I'm
reminded of this past summer:

http://blade.nagaokaut.ac.jp/cgi-bin/scat.rb/ruby/ruby-talk/79412
http://blade.nagaokaut.ac.jp/cgi-bin/scat.rb/ruby/ruby-talk/79433
http://blade.nagaokaut.ac.jp/cgi-bin/scat.rb/ruby/ruby-talk/79492
http://blade.nagaokaut.ac.jp/cgi-bin/scat.rb/ruby/ruby-talk/79543
http://blade.nagaokaut.ac.jp/cgi-bin/scat.rb/ruby/ruby-talk/79545
http://blade.nagaokaut.ac.jp/cgi-bin/scat.rb/ruby/ruby-talk/79548
http://blade.nagaokaut.ac.jp/cgi-bin/scat.rb/ruby/ruby-talk/79587
http://blade.nagaokaut.ac.jp/cgi-bin/scat.rb/ruby/ruby-talk/79588
http://blade.nagaokaut.ac.jp/cgi-bin/scat.rb/ruby/ruby-talk/79592
http://blade.nagaokaut.ac.jp/cgi-bin/scat.rb/ruby/ruby-talk/79616
http://blade.nagaokaut.ac.jp/cgi-bin/scat.rb/ruby/ruby-talk/79636
http://blade.nagaokaut.ac.jp/cgi-bin/scat.rb/ruby/ruby-talk/79660

As I imagine several people here are. :) All those threads are quite a read if
you have the time. It's hard to believe they all occurred over 2 or 3 days.
And that was a disaster from a "no flames on ruby-talk" perspective.

You're right, I could just mark all the messages in such a thread as read. And
maybe some people enjoy responding to these topics, so we shouldn't stop them.
I just think that maybe it'd be good to gather together some stuff from the
archives and elsewhere so that "the answer" can just be referenced. It'd cut
down on the "Python is less OO than Ruby." "No it's not, and besides Ruby is
less functional." "No it's not..." And other arguments that come up from them
often and never really get resolved.

Maybe I'll do it if I get bored. :)

Cheers.

- Dan