Cerulean

Normally i'd restrain myself, but you're in the Python forum, so :p:
wtf!? More powerful? How? As in it runs on more systems? No it doesn't. As in it even runs with equal performance across systems? No it doesn't. As in it's an inflexible language that forces silly restraints (one class per file) and doesn't provide you with the ability to provide intuitive, logical APIs (operator overloading, multiple inheritance)? Yes.
Having to work with Java on occasion, I find that it's range of quality third party extensions to be nothing on that of Python's, in both quantity or quality (batik being a notable exception, mind). The kind of "wide applications" that are created with Java are those that depend on such a large library.. I can comfortably package the Python interpreter with my files via py2exe and have an exe of a sane size.

Dietrich

Talking about the unsafe input() ...
... couldn't one require that the first character (or any char) be related to numeric input, like has to be a number, -, +, . before it hits eval()?

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I looked it up on the Intergnats!

Ooble

But the point is that it doesn't have to be a number. It just eval()s whatever you give it. For example, this is a valid entry to an input:

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Me :: You :: Them

Sane

Java is a very scary language, don't learn it if you are a beginner.

I tried that and it discouraged me from programming for a while... it made me think I couldn't program. :p

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Waterloo's Canadian Computing Competition (CCC) - Stage 2 Problems, Solutions, and Test Data

OpenLoop

Everyone has his opinion based on his knowledge and opinion. Personally, I find python in the same retarded class with Qbasic.

Now You don't have to listen to me about how superior Java is to Python, but how does 4000 open positions for a java developer in the United States alone sound like? then go to CareerBuilder.com and search for Python and you get 250 positions. Maybe things are different in the UK but last time I checked, (4000 > 250) returns true.

Sane

Maybe what makes a programming language enjoyable is not the potential job openings... but possibly the fun and inspiration?

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Waterloo's Canadian Computing Competition (CCC) - Stage 2 Problems, Solutions, and Test Data

OpenLoop

True, but fun doesn't make business. I used to enjoy Qbasic when i was a kid, but now i look at it as a very limiting language. Besides, we're not talking about enjoyable here, for instance, i find Lisp enjoyable but that doesn't make it a good language.

Sane

We're talking about what language will be best for verb, not business.

Verb is new to programming, and his intentions seem purely upon interest in it.

Therefore he needs an enjoyable language that won't discourage him from programming, not necessarily a language that he will use to make money in the future.

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Waterloo's Canadian Computing Competition (CCC) - Stage 2 Problems, Solutions, and Test Data

OpenLoop

I agree with you 100%.

I know java can be a little hard on beginners but it's a good asset to have assuming you'll become a professional programmer. But all the sudden, and out of nowhere, Cerulean jumps me with his false advertisement and starts bashing Java and degrading it in front of the almighty Python.

I say False advertisement because multiple inheritance is possible in java by using interfaces and java runs on JVM which can be downloaded for windows, MacOS, and most Linux distros AND which also guaranties that your program will run identically across systems.

EDIT: And who said you can only have one class per file, you got it all wrong buddy. You're only allowed one PUBLIC class per file but you can have as many private classes as you want to be used within that file.

Sane

Yep, I agree.

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Waterloo's Canadian Computing Competition (CCC) - Stage 2 Problems, Solutions, and Test Data