On Sat, Feb 07, 2009 at 08:20:30PM -0500, Douglas A. Tutty wrote: > On Sat, Feb 07, 2009 at 11:40:29AM -0500, Michael Pobega wrote: > > On Sat, Feb 07, 2009 at 09:39:20AM -0500, Douglas A. Tutty wrote: > > > On Fri, Feb 06, 2009 at 06:25:31PM +0100, Abdelkader Belahcene wrote: > > > > I've done a lot in Python. I have a lot of python programs. The new > > > version of python will change the print statement to a print function > > > (among other language changes) which will mean porting old stuff to new. > > > Yuck. > > > > > > > Doug, from what I understand the new version of Python won't replace > > Python 2.x, but instead it will be somewhat of a fork -- there are still > > plans for development of a Python 2.7, as to not break compatibility > > while still allowing for improvements (though, it is suggested that you > > port everything to new) > > Yes, I understand that there will be a substantial overlap period, > however, this means that while I'm maintaining old stuff and writing > new, I have to remember which dialect I'm using. Sort of like having > two different FORTRAN compliers in one shop. > > This is why I'm transitioning to Ada. If I have to port anyway, I may > as well port to a compiled language. Ada was written as a standard long > before the first compiler was done, then the compilers had to meet the > standard. Ada programs are totally portable from one machine to another > (unless, of course, you import a non-Ada function that is not the same > on all machines). Ada is designed to allow for the long-term > maintenance of programs. > > Which is another issue. I still have Fortran77 code in production. > Fortran77 won't change. In 15 years, there may not be a 2.x python > interpreter available (i.e. maintained for security issues). If I stuck > with python, in 15 years I'd still have to remember how to code in 2.x > and 3.x (and 4.x?). In 15 years, Ada95 will still be Ada95. > > Think how long sh scripts have been around. You could take the first sh > script and run it today unmodified. When your software has a long > lifespan, there's a lot to be said for it to be written in a language > with a standard behind it. > > Doug. > > As true as this is, are there any good libraries written for Ada? also, you can just compile your Python code and you won't run into that problem. -- http://pobega.wordpress.com http://identica/pobega
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