[Python-talk] Code like a Pythonista

[Ben Scott]

On 7/26/07, Kent Johnson <kent37 at tds.net> wrote:
> http://python.net/~goodger/projects/pycon/2007/idiomatic/

  Good link.  Thanks!

  I find it interesting that a lot of the advice in that document
applies equally well to other programming  languages, and indeed, to
design in general.

  I particularly love this quote (which is new to me):

"Debugging is twice as hard as writing the code in the first place.
Therefore, if you
 write the code as cleverly as possible, you are, by definition, not
smart enough to
 debug it."
                                             -- Brian W. Kernighan

  I think the underlying principle there (pushing the edges of the
ability for humans to understand something) explains why a lot of the
systems that stinks stink.  Anything that complicated (I'm thinking
most anything from Microsoft) is going to be impossible to truly grok.

  One of the things that attracts me to Python is that the culture
around it seems to really appreciate that *good design matters*.

  See (some of) you tonight.

-- Ben