succinctness = power

[Paul Graham <address@hidden>]

Paul Prescod said something in a recent mail on this list
that stuck in my mind:

  Python's goal is regularity and readability, not
  succinctness. 

This topic of succinctness is something we (and language
designers generally) have tiptoed around.  I think it is
an important one.  The more I think about it, succinctness
seems to be what languages are *for*.  If so, to say that
the aim of a language is not to be succinct seems almost
to say that its aim is not to be a good programming
language.

At any rate, it seemed like it might be a good idea to
take the question of succinctness head on.  To avoid 
spamming this whole list with a long piece on the topic
(and because I want to build a collection of related
links) I put this on a web page:

http://www.paulgraham.com/power.html

Comments (either here on ll1 or to me directly) are
appreciated.  Let me know especially if you know of any
links to stuff about this question.

--pg

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