Quote from CoolTrader:
Nononsense, I know nothing about Python. How do you compare Python to C#/Java in terms of productivity? When you got .net, you have everything in one package, e.g. I can develop database programs using ADO and SQL Server. How do you accomplish that in Python? I'm afraid it's much more time consumeing.
Hi CoolTrader,
Glad you asked me! To tell you the truth, I am still a student of the whole thing, I admit.
(1) Productivity: C#/Java didn't improve anything over C/C++. Productivity depends chiefly on the surrounding IDE (integrated development environment). VC++6, Borland C++ builder, Visual.Net, J++builder etc are all comparable. I think it is fair to say that Java neither C# changed much for "productivity". If you are in a major project, I feel it is safer to stick with C and C++. C# is largely unproven and going by the time it took M$ to get its Visual straightened out in the past, they still have a couple of years to go with the new stuff. Read earlier posts on ET for examples of this.
(2) Start with
www.python.org. A lot is available. It took me some time to make some sense of all this. Many options. Not like a single Java or a single C# option only! (I must say that I looked a bit at Sun's Java development-platform. Coming from the high-priced Sun fellows, I wouldn't trust them too much for the future. It's free right now, but their office also used to be free. Also, with what I learned in the meantime Java is no match for Python).
Many IDE's are available for Python - commercial, sometimes high-priced, most of it as good and free if you look well. Most of it is TRULY multiplatform.
I settled for wxPython and the Boa IDE. Although that the Boa is still alpha software (free), I can truly say that it works 100% - no comparison with M$'s IDE of some years back. As to productivity, none of what I write here will convince you. You will have to find out for yourself - it's simply mind-blowing!
(3) I am a 300% db fellow. So your question on this was very very important to me. Whereas I struggled a lot in the past with all the DAO, ODBC, Ole, ADO, Activex and other M$ niceties in trying to talk to my M$Access and M$SQLServer db's (it's going somewhat better these days), you will be surprised finding that you can access almost any db with the MANY free libraries available for Python. Even M$ db's work well with it!
(4) CoolTrader, I want to make money trading! The last thing I want to do is get involved with things that you call "time consuming".
(5) CoolTrader, if you tend to believe 5% of what I am telling you, look around a bit, then work very hard on it and you will have found the key to HIGH productivity. I cannot convince you more. To read something about Python's philosophy read "Guido Van Rossum", he is the Kerninghan of Python. I could go on for many pages, but I would not be able to do as well.
Good to you,
nononsense
