Path: csiph.com!usenet.pasdenom.info!weretis.net!feeder1.news.weretis.net!feeder.erje.net!newsfeed.xs4all.nl!newsfeed6.news.xs4all.nl!xs4all!post.news.xs4all.nl!not-for-mail Return-Path: X-Original-To: python-list@python.org Delivered-To: python-list@mail.python.org X-Spam-Status: OK 0.083 X-Spam-Evidence: '*H*': 0.83; '*S*': 0.00; 'subject:Python': 0.07; 'logic': 0.09; 'proficient': 0.09; 'subject:Number': 0.09; 'toolkit': 0.09; 'developer': 0.10; 'cares': 0.16; 'grasp': 0.16; 'programming': 0.21; 'wrote:': 0.21; 'header:In-Reply-To:1': 0.22; 'syntax': 0.23; 'library': 0.24; 'wed,': 0.24; 'engineering': 0.25; 'message-id:@mail.gmail.com': 0.27; 'cool': 0.27; 'pm,': 0.28; 'becoming': 0.29; 'subject: [': 0.29; 'received:209.85': 0.32; 'chris': 0.32; 'tool': 0.32; 'received:google.com': 0.32; 'membership.': 0.33; 'thu,': 0.33; 'received:209': 0.35; 'spent': 0.35; 'ability': 0.35; 'tools.': 0.36; 'but': 0.36; 'languages': 0.37; 'to:addr:python-list': 0.39; 'to:addr:python.org': 0.40; 'your': 0.60; 'mar': 0.61; 'learning': 0.61; 'organization': 0.62; 'sharing': 0.63; 'better': 0.63; 'most': 0.63; 'more': 0.63; 'become': 0.65; 'brown': 0.66; "you'll": 0.67; '2012': 0.69; 'skill': 0.72; 'yourself': 0.85; '29,': 0.93 DKIM-Signature: v=1; a=rsa-sha256; c=relaxed/relaxed; d=gmail.com; s=20120113; h=mime-version:in-reply-to:references:date:message-id:subject:from:to :content-type; bh=B9dEOt5lsX8Xc7oZ250Oq5kdTe9/iH9TL1Fg+f+LfRs=; b=SNo5mA2vysajNrkFQCSL0KX0HoS3+wORrrF7QtlNa3/JgWXYTRBhETN8HgeE3/9dDS c+8gtBYhUMy6Dh5F23hVhApvpcPjgO72laHU8W8hS2fsoG2WOhxXwDPaqk3bBXspBKp7 JF29/3Ab8iXn8jcmUwWGjfYx9jVluh6BGeds4gG6QF5mEj8HYVvCEnsYE6YSTJXHaG86 bgqfjfoq8WlJGYE4634bW7qitba2GEOgD7kTD/Vmerrb1YheuTvNqNo7lN72lcnjPrfc zxCpGL8XfnzWJKDP7Jnu9DjHW5q2xR/1Ww4afZN4GffeCwK9hIm/Tp2rm5X1tvLqAGpM G0+Q== MIME-Version: 1.0 In-Reply-To: References: Date: Thu, 29 Mar 2012 09:44:09 -0400 Subject: Re: Number of languages known [was Re: Python is readable] - somewhat OT From: Nathan Rice To: python-list@python.org Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 X-BeenThere: python-list@python.org X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.12 Precedence: list List-Id: General discussion list for the Python programming language List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , Newsgroups: comp.lang.python Message-ID: Lines: 23 NNTP-Posting-Host: 2001:888:2000:d::a6 X-Trace: 1333028653 news.xs4all.nl 6963 [2001:888:2000:d::a6]:54179 X-Complaints-To: abuse@xs4all.nl Xref: csiph.com comp.lang.python:22338 On Wed, Mar 28, 2012 at 9:33 PM, Chris Angelico wrote: > On Thu, Mar 29, 2012 at 11:59 AM, Rodrick Brown wrote: >> The best skill any developer can have is the ability to pickup languages very quickly and know what tools work well for which task. > > Definitely. Not just languages but all tools. The larger your toolkit > and the better you know it, the more easily you'll be able to grasp > the tool you need. The thing that bothers me is that people spend time and mental energy on a wide variety of syntax when the semantics are ~90% identical in most cases (up to organization). We would be better off if all the time that was spent on learning syntax, memorizing library organization and becoming proficient with new tools was spent learning the mathematics, logic and engineering sciences. Those solve problems, languages are just representations. Unfortunately, programming languages seem to have become a way to differentiate yourself and establish sub-cultural membership. All the cool kids are using XYZ, people who use LMN are dorks! Who cares about sharing or compatibility! Human nature is depressingly self-defeating.