Date: Fri, 12 Nov 2004 09:25:31 +1100
From: Matthew Palmer <mpalmer@hezmatt.org>
To: gnu-arch-users@gnu.org
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Subject: [Gnu-arch-users] Re: Re: Re: darcs vs tla
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On Thu, Nov 11, 2004 at 10:06:37AM -0800, Dustin Sallings wrote:
>=20
> On Nov 11, 2004, at 2:09, Matthew Palmer wrote:
>=20
> >Assuming equal competency in each language, it seems reasonable. =20
> >There is a
> >converse, however -- higher level languages typically have more takens,
> >which means means that competency in a HLL will be lower for the same=20
> >amount
> >of study effort and experience.
>=20
> 	I'm not sure about this.  python doesn't seem to have more reserved=20
> words than C.  Then you have the special characters:   =3D + * / [] {} ()=
=20
> : ^ % # " """ '   (many of which are the same as many other languages).

But do those tokens do significantly more than what they do in C?  Then you
start piling the whole standard library on top, which is where a lot of the
productivity gains come from (hey, I don't have to hand-code a lot of
<whatever>, I'm so much quicker), and suddenly there's a lot more to learn
to say you're a Python guru over what you need to learn to become a C guru.

> >Andrew's comment wasn't about productivity, it was about readability=20
> >and
> >maintainability.  Having seen code in a lot of languages, I agree with=
=20
> >him
> >that programmers can make an equal mess in any language.  Touting a=20
> >language
> >because it supposedly easier to write neat code will get nowt but a=20
> >hollow
> >laugh from me.
>=20
> 	You're looking at it the wrong way.  I don't think anybody's=20
> suggesting there's a language that people can't make ugly code in, but=20
> it's been my experience that well-written code in a high level language=
=20
> is far easier to read than well-written code in a lower level language.

Your standards for "well-written" just aren't high enough for the
lower-level language.

> 	Or, more specifically.  It's easier to understand what five lines of=20
> well written text means than twenty lines of well written text.

That's why it's easier to read Perl than C?  Because you can stuff more into
a line?  I find Perl an absolute pest to read because there's 10 ways of
stating anything, despite any size gains made from doing so.

- Matt

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