On 10/23/07, Yossef Mendelssohn <ymendel / pobox.com> wrote:
> On Oct 22, 6:12 pm, "Rick DeNatale" <rick.denat... / gmail.com> wrote:
> > On 10/22/07, David A. Black <dbl... / rubypal.com> wrote:
> >
> > > I've always thought that the situation with programming languages is a
> > > lot like that with musical instruments: they (languages or
> > > instruments) all do the same thing (implement algorithms or make
> > > music), but there's no denying, in either case, that different ones
> > > have very different properties and provide very different experiences.
> >
> > Not to mention different, and sometimes VERY different techniques to
> > 'play' them.
> >
>
> For instance, playing a brass or woodwind instrument simply requires a
> rest every now and then.

I was thinking more along the lines like you don't play a kettledrum
with a guitar pick, or a guitar with mallets. (At least not usually).

> I'm not sure what the programming language analog is, maybe memory
> management in C or something.

A better analogy here might be playing  a woodwind, where you have to
do your own "breath management" vs. playing a pipe organ, which has a
"breath collector!"

-- 
Rick DeNatale

My blog on Ruby
http://talklikeaduck.denhaven2.com/