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Sorry, this is not exactly thought-provoking. Why did you all vote up? It boils down to "I have my employees write software in the language I know to be able to

Sorry, this is not exactly thought-provoking. Why did you all vote up? It boils down to "I have my employees write software in the language I know to be able to control them better." That's not a far-fetched wish for a company owner, but hardly a good reason to choose a language if you expect the language to have a certain impact by itself.

icey 18y ago
How does Python help anyone control anyone else better? Especially versus something like Java or C# where you can just replace cogs and not have to train them when you bring on new staff.
- moe 18y ago
  Partly because you'll hardly find a python environment where developers are treated like interchangable cogs with a need for constant supervision ("control"). It's more a mindset thing than a language thing - and your vocabulary exposed it better than any second hand description could have done.
- febeling 18y ago
  You can judge better and act accordingly if you now Python very well. That way Steve can control better using Python. Is external to the language, that's why I didn't find their reasoning that interesting, because it is Java or C# for somebody else. It is Steve-centric and not programming language-centric thinking.
tvon 18y ago
> "I have my employees write software in the language I know to be able to control them better." You're completely misinterpreting what he is saying.
- febeling 18y ago
  Well, he did say: "I don’t think we’ve yet hired an employee who knew Python. I just say, “everything you write needs to be in Python.” Just so I can read it. And it’s awesome because I can see from across the room, looking at their screen, whether their code is good or bad. Because good Python code has a very obvious structure. And that makes my life so much easier." Which boils down to: I make them use python to be able to control them better. It is legitimate for a boss to do that, he pays you after all. But it's hardly groundbreaking new management style or a good criterion for choosing a language. I also can see why you are sympathetic to this. I know the good feeling when you know the language so well that you can see across a room from the shape on the screen wether it is good code or bad code. I love that myself.

icey 18y ago

How does Python help anyone control anyone else better? Especially versus something like Java or C# where you can just replace cogs and not have to train them when you bring on new staff.

moe 18y ago
Partly because you'll hardly find a python environment where developers are treated like interchangable cogs with a need for constant supervision ("control"). It's more a mindset thing than a language thing - and your vocabulary exposed it better than any second hand description could have done.
febeling 18y ago
You can judge better and act accordingly if you now Python very well. That way Steve can control better using Python. Is external to the language, that's why I didn't find their reasoning that interesting, because it is Java or C# for somebody else. It is Steve-centric and not programming language-centric thinking.

tvon 18y ago

> "I have my employees write software in the language I know to be able to control them better." You're completely misinterpreting what he is saying.

febeling 18y ago
Well, he did say: "I don’t think we’ve yet hired an employee who knew Python. I just say, “everything you write needs to be in Python.” Just so I can read it. And it’s awesome because I can see from across the room, looking at their screen, whether their code is good or bad. Because good Python code has a very obvious structure. And that makes my life so much easier." Which boils down to: I make them use python to be able to control them better. It is legitimate for a boss to do that, he pays you after all. But it's hardly groundbreaking new management style or a good criterion for choosing a language. I also can see why you are sympathetic to this. I know the good feeling when you know the language so well that you can see across a room from the shape on the screen wether it is good code or bad code. I love that myself.