What is Python for?

[Paul Prescod <address@hidden>]

Fredrik Lundh wrote:
> 
> paul wrote:
> > I have often wondered where Lisp fit into Python's
> > development.
> 
> > I ask because Kevin suggested that Python is a cleaned
> > up Perl
> 
> He was guessing, and so are you.
> 
> Let's repeat:
> 
>     "ABC would be much more useful if it wasn't so tightly
>     integrated with the development environment.  And
>     Modula-3 is a really cool language."

The question isn't to say what problem *Guido* was solving, but the 
problem *Python* is solving for its users. Nobody who uses Python 
thinks of it as  a portable ABC with some ideas borrowed from Modula-3.

On the other hand, the people who DO use Python are a highly diverse
group and I can think of several camps:

 * C is not productive enough, but it is important to integrate with
code written in it.

 * Java is not productive enough, but it is important to integrate with
code written in it.

 * Existing "learning languages" are underpowered

 * Scripting is important but Perl is ugly and (for some of us)
difficult

 * Dynamically typed languages are cool but most of them have weird
syntax.

>...
> But their goal was to create a language that anyone could
> learn in very little time -- "a good replacement for BASIC".

It is pretty clear that this is still one of Python's design goals but
not the overriding one.

 Paul Prescod