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Why We Choose Python

sixfeetup.com

21–30 of 62 posts

Re: Why We Choose Python

#21
The thing that keeps pulling me toward python is the ecosystem. NumPy, SciPy, Pandas, Mapnik, Cython, PyPy, IPython, Jython, Sage, PyQt/PyGTK, PyCuda/PyOpenCL. I rarely have trouble finding a tool that I need.

It is frustrating, because Ruby and Java are the standards where I work, and Clojure/Haskell are my favorite new toys. But I refuse to program in Java, and none of the others have ecosystems anywhere near as awesome as Python.

Re: Why We Choose Python

#22
post #11

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Ratings The ratings are calculated by counting hits of the most popular search engines. The search query that is used is +" programming" I wonder why BASIC is so popular :)

Funny thing... that has a bias over syntax complexity of the language, easier to pick (and IMO better quality) languages wouldn't require to google about features that often. No wonder why Java is the first.

[deleted]

Re: Why We Choose Python

#23

I have been a PHP developer for more than 10 years. Since a couple of years Python has become my language of choice. I'm addicted to Python, every project I now start is in Python. But I don't see any real valid reasons in the article to convince people. Do I have a valid reason? Probably not, every project has their own reason to use a specific language. One valid reason to choose Python instead of PHP: Encoding. Ne…

> Encoding. Never had any big problems in Python and a lot in PHP Encoding is rarely a problem in PHP. Use UTF-8 everywhere, make sure every part of the system uses it (the database server, the database client in PHP, the web pages, etc.). If you're going to work with e.g. Japanese characters, use http://www.php.net/manual/en/mbstring.overload.php

Agree, but sometimes you have to work with systems from other people. The fact that encoding issues can occur, means it will happen someday.

Re: Why We Choose Python

#24

The thing that keeps pulling me toward python is the ecosystem. NumPy, SciPy, Pandas, Mapnik, Cython, PyPy, IPython, Jython, Sage, PyQt/PyGTK, PyCuda/PyOpenCL. I rarely have trouble finding a tool that I need. It is frustrating, because Ruby and Java are the standards where I work, and Clojure/Haskell are my favorite new toys. But I refuse to program in Java, and none of the others have ecosystems anywhere near as aw…

I agree about the awesome range of libraries for Python. But, in Clojure, doesn't access to the all the JVM libraries make up for this?

Re: Why We Choose Python

#25

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Encoding. Never had any big problems in Python and a lot in PHP Encoding is rarely a problem in PHP. Use UTF-8 everywhere, make sure every part of the system uses it (the database server, the database client in PHP, the web pages, etc.). If you're going to work with e.g. Japanese characters, use http://www.php.net/manual/en/mbstring.overload.php

Agree, but sometimes you have to work with systems from other people. The fact that encoding issues can occur, means it will happen someday.

What kind of encoding issues are we talking about? I fail to see how PHP in itself should be specifically vulnerable to encoding problems.

Re: Why We Choose Python

#28
post #11
post #5

Earlier quoted context omitted.

BASIC is more popular than JavaScript on it O.O

Ratings The ratings are calculated by counting hits of the most popular search engines. The search query that is used is +" programming" I wonder why BASIC is so popular :)

I think I'll design a new language called 'computer'

Re: Why We Choose Python

#29

I made it as far as ".... Python is the language of choice for serious developers" before I bailed. I love Python, but let's not make this a True Scotsman fallacy.

Thing is, Python is becoming rapidly the language of choice for scientists, statisticians, and other knowledge workers who only do a bit of development.

Re: Why We Choose Python

#30

I can vouch for 'easy to learn': if you can already program in another language, learning Python is like being reintroduced to an old friend who has grown up quite a bit since you last met him.

I found the opposite. For example, I find it extraordinarily frustrating not to be able to know what kind of object something is by looking at the point in code where it is created; something like

variable = somefunction(inputParameter)

where variable did not exist before leaves me having to look up the documentation of somefunction to know what kind of object it is returning.

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