[vox-tech] hold on to your hats - perl vs python

[Micah Cowan]

Jeff Newmiller writes:
 > On Thu, 18 Jul 2002, Peter Jay Salzman wrote:
 >=20
 > > jeff newmiller got me thinking about switching from perl to python=
 as my
 > > main scripting language of choice.
 > >=20
 > > i'd like to hear the opinions of anyone who has actually MADE the =
switch
 > > from perl to python as their scripting language of choice.

Sorry to respond to Jeff's mail, but I seem to have accidentally
deleted the original or something.

To be honest, I think they're both great languages: there are some
things in each that I really love - and there are some things in each
I really hate. Python has several things which make strong
software engineering principles easier to follow - however, their
lexical scoping rules are slightly bizarre and impractical, regexes
are less powerful, and there are some other things that bother
me. Perl is *fun*, but there's too much magic under the hood, no real
typing, and it's somewhat harder to write truly disciplined software
in.

I think each of them are very useful, and I would happily use one or
the other, depending on the circumstances. I don't agree with the
common line of thinking which pits them as rivals - I think they are
both assets to a programmers tool-belt. Pick the best tool for the
job: always.

My 2=A2,
Micah