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

[Micah Cowan]

Rick Moen writes:
 > Quoting Micah Cowan (micah@cowan.name):
 > 
 > > Perl's abilities to express things concisely should never be construed
 > > as a license to write less than blindingly legible code. Unless you're
 > > obfuscating on purpose.
 > > 
 > > Readibility is the Coder's Golden Rule.
 > 
 > I'd like to have you standing behind said coders, with said Coder's
 > Golden Rule imprinted on heavy lead plates, ready to beat them over the
 > head.  Maybe _that_ will get them to do write readable Perl.  ;->
 > 
 > (Yes, readable Perl is eminently possible.  I just wish it were more
 > common.)

Readibility is a clear win for Python (as any Python-freak will
readily proclaim loudly). But, of course, there are other things to
consider. :)

Ditto, here, about wishing readable Perl were more common than it
is. What is particularly disturbing is the amount of Perl code which
is not only illegible, but also quite poorly designed.

Of course, poor design and illegibility are nearly always
hand-in-hand.

If you were to ask me why I usually prefer Perl to Python in most
instances, I might struggle to give an answer. But I think the chief
reason is emotional: I learned a lot of UNIX-style thinking through
studying Perl on, originally, a Windows environment. Everything seemed
so foreign from a Mac/Windows perspective - and yet, incredibly
delightful. Perl just feels more like UNIX to me than Python does -
the joys, ingenious design, and idiosyncrasies of UNIX.  It's hard to
get that same feeling from Python: the feeling I primarily get
in Python is kind of like being in a hospital.  Which is sometimes a
good thing, and sometimes less so.

The real reason I don't use Python as much, though, may be simply that
I have much more experience with Perl than with Python.

-Micah