Re: YAPAS (Yet Another Python Advocacy Story)

[Adam Turoff <ziggy@panix.com>]

dha wrote:
> > Well, this wasn't a white paper, and it could have benefitted from 
> > a little more eyes and level-headedness.
> 
> Indeed.  I have now also seen the link from the main page where it
> says "why Python, -- not C++, not Java, and certainly not Perl -- the
> best contender for a people's program".  Although I agree w/The Larry
> that the "Perl? Ha, Ha, use Python" ad was, in the final analysis,
> more funny than damaging, I do think that it's a joke that is getting
> a bit tired... :-/

Well, the postmodern way to handle this situation is to let the Python
folk get all hot under the collar, and do their worst.  Given time, the
FUD will sort itself out, the rational arguments will be made clear, and
maybe there will be a good idea or two we can steal from Python.

> > No argument there.  I didn't find any disinformation though, just a 
> > lot of misdirected frustration with Perl/C++.
> 
> Hm... perl is illegible, perl is totally alien if you have no unix
> background... sounds like disinformation (or at least
> *mis*information) to me.  

Well, I find Turkish illegible and totally alien.  Hungarian, too.  :-)

It's a fair cop if you want to remain illiterate (or promote illiteracy).
I don't see any reason why I should educate myself to find INTERCAL 
syntax less illegible and alien; at the same time, as you point out,
it's not a valid reason not to use INTERCAL.

> Really, the only uncertainty I have is
> whether it is motivated by ignorance or prejudice.  (And I don't mean
> that as pejoratively as it probably sounds)

Either way, it seems to be promoting Perl illiteracy among the 
Perl illiterate.  

Thanks, Dave.  You've helped me finally figure out how to address 
the fallacy that Prescod has put forward.

Z.

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