Re: Java versus Python

  • From: "John J. Boyer" <john.boyer@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
  • To: programmingblind@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
  • Date: Fri, 17 Jun 2011 23:23:37 -0500

Sure, I just haven't used Python much. I'm glad the interpreter 
detectsmisplaced whitespace.

John

On Fri, Jun 17, 2011 at 09:51:44PM -0600, Littlefield, Tyler wrote:
> You seem to just be picking an argument here. A single misplaced 
> whitespace character will just cause the interpreter to tell you of the 
> fact, which isn't exactly destroying a program. It's the same as a 
> misplaced ; in c, c++ or Java.
> On 6/17/2011 9:37 PM, John J. Boyer wrote:
> >The mandatory indentation in Python means that a single misplaced
> >whitespace can entirely destroy a program. This is not very robust. C
> >programmers usually make sure their code is nicely indented by using a
> >utility like the Gnu indent. I'm still looking for something similar for
> >Java. Manual indentation is too error-prone.
> >
> >John
> >
> >On Fri, Jun 17, 2011 at 08:32:55PM -0600, Littlefield, Tyler wrote:
> >>Java uses it's indentation much like braces are used. It's not where
> >>things have to be in specific columns, but indentation sort of solves a
> >>couple problems.
> >>1) It means that all blocks of code are denoted by a deeper indentation
> >>level than the block that branched it.
> >>2) It also means that people usually stick to a nice style. I've seen a
> >>lot of different code, for example:
> >>while (bla)
> >>do_something();
> >>while (bla) {
> >>do_something
> >>}
> >>while (bla)
> >>{
> >>do_something();
> >>}
> >>
> >>Indentation can be a bit hard to get used to, but I personally like it
> >>quite a lot.
> >>On 6/17/2011 8:30 PM, John J. Boyer wrote:
> >>>The thing I dislike about Python is mandatory indentation. This seems to
> >>>me a throwback to the old days of assembly language and Cobol, where
> >>>things had to be in certain columns. I like the free-form syntax of Java
> >>>and C.
> >>>
> >>>John
> >>>
> >>>On Fri, Jun 17, 2011 at 07:15:55PM -0700, David Tseng wrote:
> >>>>I personally find arguments about programming languages much analogous
> >>>>to those seen in politics.  Both sides have great points but tend to
> >>>>drive one another towards opposite extremes.  Some camps are die hard
> >>>>dynamic language practitioners while others stick to strongly typed
> >>>>code.
> >>>>
> >>>>I will say that strongly typed languages have kind of won the battle
> >>>>historically.  Most of the industry writes in C-styled languages like
> >>>>C/C++, java, etc.  Lisp, still beloved by many, kind of lost.  Python,
> >>>>as many have shown, works wonderfully and frees up coders to actually
> >>>>code, is still largely a wrapper on C.  For those who want absolute
> >>>>performance, it's considered still an extra level of indirection
> >>>>that's not worth the productivity gain.
> >>>>
> >>>>I love python and its free-form style and the amount of progress you
> >>>>can make using it.  Python excels at the rinse and repeat (compile,
> >>>>run, fix) style of coding.  The few seconds you need to compile a
> >>>>C-styled language and run, you're already fixing the bug in python.
> >>>>You're not babied into writing object-oriented code ala java, but can
> >>>>independently mix in functional aspects if you wish.  You can just as
> >>>>easily go OO if you want as well.
> >>>>
> >>>>
> >>>>
> >>>>On 6/17/11, Alex Hall<mehgcap@xxxxxxxxx>   wrote:
> >>>>>Programming is certainly a matter of preference in most situations. I
> >>>>>would probably give up if the only option were php, since I really
> >>>>>hate that language (no offense to anyone). Java is easy enough, but I
> >>>>>agree that it feels bulky at times. I like Python's ease of use and
> >>>>>readability, plus you can create executables with it, something that
> >>>>>is difficult in java. Some people don't like that python is loosely
> >>>>>typed, but I prefer saying:
> >>>>>name=raw_input("Enter your name: ")
> >>>>>to, if memory serves:
> >>>>>name=new String();
> >>>>>in=new InputReader();
> >>>>>name=in.readLine();
> >>>>>or something along those lines.
> >>>>>
> >>>>>On 6/17/11, Littlefield, Tyler<tyler@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>   wrote:
> >>>>>>I've used both. I really like python because it comes on most *nix
> >>>>>>systems. I also like Python because of it's flexability and 
> >>>>>>versatility.
> >>>>>>Java is nice enough, but it feels big bulky and clunky to me. That and
> >>>>>>they seem to have some serious naming convention issues. Sometimes
> >>>>>>things are capitalized, sometimes they're not--.net makes more sense.
> >>>>>>On 6/17/2011 6:49 PM, John J. Boyer wrote:
> >>>>>>>There has been a lot of discussion on the list lately about Python. 
> >>>>>>>Why
> >>>>>>>is that?Personally i much prefer Java. Its syntx makes a lot more 
> >>>>>>>sense
> >>>>>>>and it is just as powerful, if not more. A command-line build system
> >>>>>>>like ant can take most of the hassle out of working with Java 
> >>>>>>>classes.
> >>>>>>>personally, I prefer this to Eclipse.
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>BrailleBlaster is written in Java. I am using openjdk-1.6, Eclipse 
> >>>>>>>SWT
> >>>>>>>and Apache Ant.
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>John
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>--
> >>>>>>
> >>>>>>Take care,
> >>>>>>Ty
> >>>>>>my website:
> >>>>>>http://tds-solutions.net
> >>>>>>my blog:
> >>>>>>http://tds-solutions.net/blog
> >>>>>>skype: st8amnd127
> >>>>>>My programs don't have bugs; they're randomly added features!
> >>>>>>
> >>>>>>__________
> >>>>>>View the list's information and change your settings at
> >>>>>>//www.freelists.org/list/programmingblind
> >>>>>>
> >>>>>>
> >>>>>--
> >>>>>Have a great day,
> >>>>>Alex (msg sent from GMail website)
> >>>>>mehgcap@xxxxxxxxx; http://www.facebook.com/mehgcap
> >>>>>__________
> >>>>>View the list's information and change your settings at
> >>>>>//www.freelists.org/list/programmingblind
> >>>>>
> >>>>>
> >>>>__________
> >>>>View the list's information and change your settings at
> >>>>//www.freelists.org/list/programmingblind
> >>
> >>-- 
> >>
> >>Take care,
> >>Ty
> >>my website:
> >>http://tds-solutions.net
> >>my blog:
> >>http://tds-solutions.net/blog
> >>skype: st8amnd127
> >>My programs don't have bugs; they're randomly added features!
> >>
> >>__________
> >>View the list's information and change your settings at
> >>//www.freelists.org/list/programmingblind
> 
> 
> -- 
> 
> Take care,
> Ty
> my website:
> http://tds-solutions.net
> my blog:
> http://tds-solutions.net/blog
> skype: st8amnd127
> My programs don't have bugs; they're randomly added features!
> 
> __________
> View the list's information and change your settings at 
> //www.freelists.org/list/programmingblind

-- 
John J. Boyer; President, Chief Software Developer
Abilitiessoft, Inc.
http://www.abilitiessoft.com
Madison, Wisconsin USA
Developing software for people with disabilities

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