The Python Paradox
August 2004
In a current talk I mentioned one thing that upset a whole lot of
folks: that you would get smarter programmers to work on
a Python mission than you would to work on a Java mission.
I did not imply by this that Java programmers are dumb. I
meant that Python programmers are good. It is a whole lot of
work to study a brand new programming language. And other people do not
study Python as a result of it’s going to get them a job; they study it
as a result of they genuinely wish to program and are not glad with the languages they
already know.
Which makes them precisely the sort of programmers
corporations ought to wish to rent. Therefore what, for lack of a greater
title, I am going to name the Python paradox: if an organization chooses to put in writing
its software program in a relatively esoteric language, they’re going to have the opportunity
to rent higher programmers, as a result of they’re going to entice solely these
who cared sufficient to study it. And for
programmers the paradox is much more pronounced: the language
to study, if you wish to get a great job, is a language that
folks do not study merely to get a job.
Only some corporations have been good sufficient to comprehend this
up to now. However there’s a sort of choice happening right here too: they’re
precisely the businesses programmers would
most wish to work for. Google, for instance. After they
promote Java programming jobs, in addition they need Python expertise.
A good friend of mine who is aware of practically all of the extensively used languages
makes use of Python for many of his initiatives. He says the primary cause
is that he likes the best way supply code appears to be like. That will appear
a frivolous cause to decide on one language over one other.
However it’s not so frivolous because it sounds: whenever you program,
you spend extra time studying code than writing it.
You push blobs of supply code round the best way a sculptor does
blobs of clay. So a language that makes supply code ugly is
maddening to an exacting programmer, as clay filled with lumps
can be to a sculptor.
On the point out of ugly supply code, folks will after all suppose
of Perl. However the superficial ugliness of Perl isn’t the type
I imply. Actual ugliness isn’t harsh-looking
syntax, however having to construct applications out of the flawed
ideas. Perl could seem like a cartoon character swearing,
however there are
cases the place it surpasses Python conceptually.
To this point, anyway. Each languages are after all
moving targets. However they
share, together with Ruby (and Icon, and Pleasure, and J, and Lisp,
and Smalltalk) the truth that
they’re created by, and utilized by, individuals who actually care about
programming. And people are usually those who do it properly.