The Cube

Amen to that - finding doc that did a decent explanation.

I like and dislike Python.

What I actually like about python is that it is, at least at present, somewhat less fragmented than Perl. Perl has two weakness. Firstly, its objects are bolted-on and not very clean. Python does not have that issue with objects. But the other issue is with third party modules that were not written in Perl (i.e., in C) or which were not maintained over time as Perl changed. Python will eventually experience the same kind of library rot, though perhaps a bit less since its base library is more extensive.

Why I hate Python... is mostly because its authors and community have a "thing" about not allowing programmers who actually like braces for block notation to use them and treating them with disrespect. It isn't like allowing braces would break anything. And as someone who studied and has written small compilers, I really chafe at the whitespace ambiguity - and have experienced issues with that kind of thing with files that use different whitespace/tabbing conventions than I prefer to use. I have no problem with the existing notation (: and whitespace) being the default, I just don't like having it forced down my throat when a braced alternative would be so easy. (And, yeah, I have seen the silly #} jokes.)