Using the right tool for the job

Purpose: to drive home the point that one should always strive to use the right tool for a job - even if that means not using Tcl!


 Date: Wed, 15 Aug 2001 11:54:36 -0400
 From: Larry Smith <[email protected]> | Block Address
 Organization: Wild Open Source Inc.
 To: [email protected]
 Subject: Re: Where's the lag? [[Was: Re: [[Python-Dev] Parrot -- should life imitate satire?


 "Larry W. Virden" wrote:

 > This is very well said.  Do you mind if I quote you over on
 > <URL: http://purl.org/thecliff/tcl/wiki/> ?

 Sure!  I'd be flattered.

 regards,
 Larry


 > In article <[email protected]>, Larry Smith 
 <[email protected]> wrote:
 > :"Donal K. Fellows" wrote:
 > :>
 > :> Bryan Oakley wrote:
 > :> > I've heard the swiss army knife analogy before. Nevertheless, you may have
 > :> > just won the coveted quote of the week prize :-)
 > :>
 > :> That's the "Shameless My-Language-Is-Better-Than-Yours-So-Sucks-Boo-To-You
 > :> Advocacy of the Week" prize.  And against some fairly stiff opposition too.
 > :
 > :I can see how someone with a rah-rah-tcl-rulez kind
 > :of attitude - or sensitivity towards it - might inter-
 > :pret it that way.  But the fact is, I'm a language
 > :maven, I learn practically every new programming
 > :language that comes out and mine them for ideas in
 > :an endless quest for a better programming language.
 > :Tcl has a good foundation and great potential, and
 > :in the tcl newsgroups I argue in ways to support and
 > :reinforce that (I hope).  However, let me be blunt,
 > :next week I may well be in the python newsgroup
 > :pushing an idea to improve Python.  Actually, I
 > :rather like Python, but then, I was always a fan
 > :of Wirth's languages and Python is at least partially
 > :a descendent of Modula.
 > :
 > :Python is really on another path anyway, I consider
 > :it more of a sibling of Component Pascal rather than
 > :as a killer scripting tool.  When I need to get some-
 > :thing done, I reach for Tcl.  But when I want to design
 > :something for the ages using the latest software method-
 > :ology - well, Python or Oberon/2 or CP would be my first
 > :choice.
 > :
 > :Even the greatest artists sketch sometimes, and sometimes
 > :those sketches are great artwork in and of themselves.
 > :But then sometimes a great artist picks up his palette
 > :and looks at a sketch on his canvas and plans to do some-
 > :thing greater with it...
 > :
 > :You see, the best workman uses the tool that is best
 > :for the task at hand.
 > :