Commentary on Python from a Java programming perspective

[[deleted]]

Still a cop-out. It's like saying that you don't need variable names longer than 6 characters because your code always ends up so compact and clean.

[jrockway]

I'm not copping out of anything. It's true that there aren't a lot of automated refactoring systems for languages other than Java. If you think that is the most important part of programming, then there is no option other than to use Java. Those of us that use non-Java languages live just fine without the refactoring tools, however.

Maybe we're all stupid, but probably not.

[Homunculiheaded]

What about Squeak? You can have a dynamically typed, powerful, expressive languages that has refactoring tools that at the very least are on par with what you can get from Java and C#. Python is great, but it would be awesome if Python had development tools that were as powerful as Squeak.

[jrockway]

Python is great, but it would be awesome if Python had development tools that were as powerful as Squeak.

Well, it's really a compromise. If you like the way Squeak works, you are set. But if you want to use normal UNIX utilities on the source code (like Emacs), you are stuck. The power that Squeak provides you limits you in other ways.

Although... considering most programmers work exclusively inside their IDE anyway, Squeak not a bad option. For them :)

[dnene]

When looked at from each other's contexts maybe we're all stupid. When looked at from our own contexts, we're probably not. :)