[TUHS] Re: python

[George Michaelson <ggm@algebras.org>]

Python has limited support for map/reduce patterns, and cannot
implement lazy eval.  It's functional support is no different to any
classical language with an ability to apply a function over data and
you can curry to your hearts content if you can define functions over
functions (as arguments)

Guido is on record as saying he didn't aim it as an FP language. I
wouldn't cast him an FP hater, I think thats a silly concept anyway.

I tried to learn a real FP language. It's hard to think in new ways. I
wish I'd started sooner because I do believe the stories about the
upside of investing in strong types (which are not unique to FP but
are a mainstay of most of the FP which have succeeded in breaking
through)

The resurgence of chatter about Common LISP says something to me. I'm
not sure what, possibly "all those LISP-like turn out not to be as
good as they said" but there's also a resurgence in OCAML in the same
places.

I think the fusion of UNIX and FP was sort of a road not taken. Yes,
there's lots of LISP and GHC. No, it's really an ecosystem "on top"
and there are some grumpy edges to coding in FP to deploy on UNIX.

Maybe it's no worse a fit than "containers" and after all, we're in
Kubernetes because of Plan9, right?

G