From: Kenny Tilton
Subject: Re: I want to ask you All an advice, please
Date:
Message-ID: <3DD15241.9030902@nyc.rr.com>
Bengt Richter wrote:
> On 12 Nov 2002 13:40:33 +1100, "Artiom Ivanov" <········@ua.fm> wrote:
>
>
>>...I know already C/C++, Ada, Java, Delphi (Object Pascal), a
>>little of Common Lisp, UML, HTML, JavaScript and a base of XML and Visual
>>Basic...
>
> I think you should learn Python (see www.python.org). I predict it will
> rapidly become your favorite language.
No, he already knows a little Common Lisp, so he won't be able to deal
with such a primitive approach to garbage collection. Look at the effort
required to handle cyclic references:
http://www.python.org/doc/api/supporting-cycle-detection.html
Artiom, finish learning Common Lisp, http://www.alu.org, then you will
be in the best position to decide which features you are most able to
tolerate living without when you pick your career language (while
keeping your eye open for Lisp positions). Here are the features I would
not want to give up:
- interactive development (no linking, compile individual functions, the
REPL which only seems like an interpreter)
- speed (optimize-compiled to machine code)
- decent GC (transparent, efficient)
- macros (procedural, not just token-replacing)
- multiple-inheritance and all the other features of CLOS, the OO package
- generic functions
- &key, &rest, and &optional args
- standardized (as in ANSI)
- mature (as in stable)
- closures
- special variables
- (sexpr notation (as in parentheses))
- automatic indentation by the editor
- restarts from a backtrace
- OO condition system
- four or more vendors, free trial versions, several free projects
Once you know why each of those is cool, you'll do a better job of
picking the least abysmal alternative. (Hint: I have personal knowledge
of Lispers who have found happiness in Python or JavaScript.)
--
kenny tilton
clinisys, inc
---------------------------------------------------------------
""Well, I've wrestled with reality for thirty-five years, Doctor,
and I'm happy to state I finally won out over it.""
Elwood P. Dowd