[Sugar-devel] Python is good - don't waste time (was Re: The future of Sugar on XO-1s)

[James Cameron]

Back in 2006, when choice was to use C++, C, Qt or Gtk, or even
php-gtk (!), one side said use C because we had it now, it would work,
and work really fast.

Python was chosen because it worked, and was easily accessible for
modification by the learner.

Silly, thought I, 'cause who uses Python for system stuff?  Would it
scale?  Can we afford to lose that much memory?  Why compile on the
fly?  Can it have predictable interactive response times in the face
of garbage collection?

But Python could run everywhere, we were told.  And they were right.
It did run on Windows, Mac OS X, and the various Unix.

Since, the dependencies of the Python Sugar have grown to fit Linux
only, with most not available on other platforms.

Since, new platforms have arisen without the dependencies.

Horse has bolted; the effort required to add those dependencies
cleanly to the new platforms exceeds the effort to switch language.

I'm glad the new language was not Java.  I'm okay with it being
JavaScript; it feels like ten years ago all over again.  I do hope it
won't depend on npm or left-pad!

-- 
James Cameron
http://quozl.netrek.org/