If Now Code

The Holy Grail

I programmed in C/C++ up until a few years ago when after learning Java I decided to take a crack at Python. I found it to be disconcerting at first with it's lack of proper termination but soon saw it as good enforced formatting and fell in love with the quick development, simple extensibility, built in smart data types like dict and list, integrated functional programming, and all the source code out there that makes prototyping and tools tasks as well as small application development simple and easy. Add to that I can extend it in C/C++ making it is the perfect cherry on the top of my programming tool kit. C# was a good language but is really a better managed language then .NET so I like that over managed C++ but Python crosses over futher with a script/application blend that is between something like Perl on one end and C# or Java on the other. Add the fact that the ctype and other low level Python libraries let you call Windows API's directly. At some point I'm going to write a win32 Windows API windows application sample in Python to just see if it is possible. I know it will just be a slower version but it will be a great sample, demonstration and test of the libraries.

I believe in using the right tool for the job and a programmer should ultimately be language agnostic choosing the correct one for the situation and not just plugging every hole with the language of their choice. Languages are written with purposes in mind and I endeavor to learn as many as possible. I've been studying functional programming lately and am really pleased Python supports this so I can learn and add in functional programming where needed. I don't see the need for pure functional and like the imperative functional blend but that is just due to the kind of programming I will be doing.