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List:       ruby-talk
Subject:    Re: Need examples comparing Ruby to Python
From:       David MacQuigg <dmq () gain ! com>
Date:       2004-02-23 19:44:51
Message-ID: t9kk3096co36vqani3g7ctpg75bcfag8q8 () 4ax ! com
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On Mon, 23 Feb 2004 11:20:43 -0500, "Kent S." <happy@user.com> wrote:

>Even though it's nice to know about these small differences in both 
>languages, I think all these examples miss their target. The biggest win 

I agree.  The differences ended up small because I took the examples
from the Programming Ruby book, then updated the Python to a more
optimum form, taking advantage of methods added since the book was
written.  I would like to replace these trivial examples with
something showing a more significant difference between these two
languages.  Then we can answer the question:  Do the differences come
down to just a few missing methods, which we can add ourselves, or do
we really have some fundamental advantages, perhaps enough to move off
of Python.

>I get when I use Ruby is that it allows me to program at the meta level. 
>As in Dave Thomas' example, Ruby allows me to do things like this
>
>     class RegionTable < Table
>      table "region" do
>        field autoinc, :reg_id,        pimary_key
>        field int,     :reg_affiliate, references(AffiliateTable)
>        field varchar(100), :reg_name
>      end
>     end
>
>which basically means that I can create my own 
>DomainSpecificLanguage(http://martinfowler.com/bliki/DomainSpecificLanguage.html) 
>without leaving Ruby. I don't know much about Python but I don't think 
>it is that easy to do with it.

I'm having trouble understanding the goal of this example.  That is
the key to providing a meaningful comparison.  Any language can do
esoteric tricks that no other language can reproduce without some
difficult coding.  The latest version of Python, for example, provides
a slight variation on the multiple inheritance method resolution order
for rare cases where our parent classes have a common ancestor !!
Cool stuff, but will I ever use it?

If you need to write a paragraph or two to motivate or explain the
goals for an example of some code, we can include these details as a
footnote or link on the examples showcase page.  They we can try to
get the same result in Python, perhaps using an entirely different set
of statements.

-- Dave

>
>/kent
>
>David MacQuigg wrote:
>
>> I'm putting together a web page comparing Ruby to Python, and I need
>> some good examples showing off the advantages of Ruby.  I'm new to
>> Ruby, so all I've been able to do so far is pick some examples from
>> the Programming Ruby book, and do a Google search on "compare ruby
>> python".   What I've found is way out-of-date.
>> 
>> Take a look at http://userlinux.com/cgi-bin/wiki.pl?RubyPython  This
>> is part of the UserLinux project, a new Linux distribution that I hope
>> will pick up where Red Hat left off, and be easier to install than
>> Debian.  Python is our chosen "primary" scripting language, but there
>> are many participants who are also interested in Ruby.
>> 
>> Thanks for your help.
>> 
>> -- David MacQuigg
>> 


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