Anyone tried Python before?

[TheMonkey]

I've just become officially addicted to the Python programming language. Elegance, power, simplicity. Anyone else tried this? Makes a refreshing break from .Net (and it runs on top of .Net using IronPython if you are so inclined).

In the last 3 months I've been doing a mini-research project by moving my plan B to a Mac and started using Python. Results:

- My HPA axis has returned to it's 90's ARM assembly hacking zen-like state.
- I no longer feel the urge to beat the tulip out of people randomly.
- I smile and resemble my avatar less.
- I'm no longer having to stick toilet breaks on my timesheet due to IBS.
- I eat properly rather than when it's convenient.
- My productivity has increased by approximately 5x.
- Stuff works, without me having to make it work first.
- I actually spend time with my family rather than fulfilling C# syntactical gumph.

I therefore conclude that Windows and .Net makes you ill.

[edit: Pendant protection]

[AtW]

C# 3.0 is awesome.

[TheMonkey]

C# 3.0 is awesome.

No it's not. It's got LINQ and lambda expressions and a pile of extra crap to learn when they release it. That is it. I'm using sqlite in python to store memory databases and use SQL to query them. It also supports Lambda expressions already...

[AtW]

Anonymous methods are good.

Practical angle for contractors is that C# .NET work will pay more than Python, which may well be top of the languages out there, but just like Perl it has got more of a Unix appeal. Naturally C# puts you more into Windows crowd, so I suppose it is good to know both, but just how big is Python market?

For me this is mainly academical anyway.

[TheMonkey]

Anonymous methods are good.

Practical angle for contractors is that C# .NET work will pay more than Python, which may well be top of the languages out there, but just like Perl it has got more of a Unix appeal. Naturally C# puts you more into Windows crowd, so I suppose it is good to know both, but just how big is Python market?

For me this is mainly academical anyway.

From research, the Python market is usually quite small (a reliable niche) and very well paid. It is completely platform neutral (which is what attracts people to it) and demands a good £400-500 a day. Google is mostly powered by Python so plenty of work there

[AtW]

Well, I would not want to work for Google, not that they offered or something.

[TheMonkey]

I didn't say that I did want to either. Big evil company.

Works nicely for my plan B though. Allows me to distribute the entire piece of software in either an immutable or mutable format on a CDROM with database server and web server!

[AtW]

Well, so do I in SKA written in C#.

[TheMonkey]

Does it work on a Mac without installing ANY binary software?

[AtW]

You need Mono for that - just like you need .NET framework on Windows, this is not an unreasonable install and now it is often part of distros.