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Python dev here who chooses his own tools. I want to move to Clojure, but Clojure and the JVM just aren't that strong in machine learning and ML is my current

Python dev here who chooses his own tools. I want to move to Clojure, but Clojure and the JVM just aren't that strong in machine learning and ML is my current "growth" area. Even with JVM based solutions, such as Stanford CoreNLP Python has more support/interest than Clojure. I am not here to pump up Python and knock Clojure, just to illustrate there are areas that Clojure has a ton more wood to chop. And I do understand there have been significant efforts made in this arena lately. e.g. Neanderthal http://neanderthal.uncomplicate.org/ http://neanderthal.uncomplicate.org/

falcolas 9y ago
Having worked with both Lisp and Python, I feel relatively comfortable saying the only thing missing from Python is macros; and when it comes to readable code, it's not a debilitating loss. Much of a macro's capability to create DSLs can be replicated using the introspection and metaprogramming. There are also some lisps that target the Python VM, so you could consider using one of those.
- cutler 9y ago
  Yes, Hy (http://hylang.org http://hylang.org) is similar to Clojure and very nice to work with. Sadly, they had to abandon their implementation of let recently.
devmunchies 9y ago
> I am not here to pump up Python and knock Clojure, just to illustrate there are areas that Clojure has a ton more wood to chop If you are talking about ML, then basically every language has "wood to chop" when compared to python.
- jgalt212 9y ago
  probably not R, though.
  - blain_the_train 9y ago
    When i looked at the eco system there seemed like a pretty big gab between R and Python in ML
yogthos 9y ago
Take a look at Cortext https://github.com/thinktopic/cortex https://github.com/thinktopic/cortex There's a recent presentation that makes a good case for using Clojure over Python for ML https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0m6wz2vClQI https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0m6wz2vClQI

falcolas 9y ago

Having worked with both Lisp and Python, I feel relatively comfortable saying the only thing missing from Python is macros; and when it comes to readable code, it's not a debilitating loss. Much of a macro's capability to create DSLs can be replicated using the introspection and metaprogramming. There are also some lisps that target the Python VM, so you could consider using one of those.

cutler 9y ago
Yes, Hy (http://hylang.org http://hylang.org) is similar to Clojure and very nice to work with. Sadly, they had to abandon their implementation of let recently.

devmunchies 9y ago

> I am not here to pump up Python and knock Clojure, just to illustrate there are areas that Clojure has a ton more wood to chop If you are talking about ML, then basically every language has "wood to chop" when compared to python.

jgalt212 9y ago
probably not R, though.
- blain_the_train 9y ago
  When i looked at the eco system there seemed like a pretty big gab between R and Python in ML

yogthos 9y ago

Take a look at Cortext https://github.com/thinktopic/cortex https://github.com/thinktopic/cortex There's a recent presentation that makes a good case for using Clojure over Python for ML https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0m6wz2vClQI https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0m6wz2vClQI