Ruby, Python and Tim Toady

In the News:

Why Bing Is Gaining on Google

A triumph of creative headline writing. Bing soars from 7.2% to 8.2%. Google: 78%. Yo, Steve. When your competitor's name becomes a verb, they've solved the problem. If you don't want to take my word for it, google it.

Python v. Ruby:

Executive summary: two excellent modern, multi-paradigm languages with fiercely partisan fans who never tire of arguing for their personal choice. In the end, the one you prefer probably depends on where you stand on Tim Toady.

First, the basics. Both languages are interpreted, not compiled. Both are more than fast enough for business computing. Neither is strongly typed. Neither is more error prone than, for example, Java.

Both are object-oriented. Almost everything in Python is an object. Everything in Ruby is an object. (In Ruby, "2+2" is a notational convenience for "2.+(2)". That's an object "2" with a method "+" called with another "2" object as argument.)

Ruby's OO constructs are more Java-like. Python's object model struck me at first as chaos. You start with what in C++ or Java would be two instances of the "dog" class, "fido" and "rover" for example. If fido does tricks, you stick an array field to him: "fido.tricks = ["jump", "roll over", ...]. No need to extend any class, no problem that rover has no tricks.

Multi-paradigm means that unlike Java, you use OO coding when it works for you. You use other techniques and you don't force OO solutions on non-OO problems. For example, both support functional programming: the ability to pass code around and manipulate it as easily as other traditional languages handle strings.

Big difference: Rails. Ruby on Rails is the Ruby language with the Rails website framework. The Rails framework gets all the attention of the Ruby community. By contrast, Pythonistas are split among multiple frameworks, none enjoying the effort put into Rails. Rails JavaScript framework, Pythonistas argue, is based on Scriptaculous which is based on Prototype which has an enduring reputation for bad code.

Both languages work. Spectacular websites can be built successfully with either. Both will give you the same results as you could get with Java EE but with much less code, which will simplify maintenance. Would I recommend one or the other? For me, yes I would. For you? I would not. That's because I have a definite stand on Tim Toady.

Tim originated in Perl (which I recommend you avoid if at all possible). TMTOWTDI: There's More Than One Way To Do It. "Tim Toady" is the way it's pronounced. Ruby, which was designed as a better Perl, features Tim Toady. Pythonistas say, "There should be one, obvious way to do it."

I'd say more on this, but my Python just saw the Ruby code on my screen and slithered away looking very mad. I've got to find him before he swallows the kitten. (Why Ruby? SketchUp plugins can be written in the language of your choice, provided you choose Ruby. How can I explain that to my Python?)