Re^3: Revisiting the old clichés of programming languages (Python)

As it happens, most of what I know about Python comes from three out of four of the motivations you list. I wanted to add a feature to an existing (open source) Python project (maintained by Python programmers, natch), in part because I wanted to learn about the language. I also discussed that in the same interview, just not in answer to that question.

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Re^4: Revisiting the old clichés of programming languages (Python) by tilly (Archbishop) on Jan 26, 2009 at 22:26 UTC
That's good, and I want to be clear that I'm not accusing you of having the negative traits. I'm just saying that when you give that answer, you don't know how it will be heard. And some interviewers will hear that answer in a very bad way. The potential for harm is mitigated a lot if you have already discussed your willingness to work with Python in other circumstances. But if the job they envision is 70% Python and 30% Perl, you've still potentially argued yourself out of a job for a skill that you realistically could come up to speed on well within the usual window of 1-3 months that most people need to become productive.	[reply]

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Re^4: Revisiting the old clichés of programming languages (Python)
by tilly (Archbishop) on Jan 26, 2009 at 22:26 UTC

The potential for harm is mitigated a lot if you have already discussed your willingness to work with Python in other circumstances. But if the job they envision is 70% Python and 30% Perl, you've still potentially argued yourself out of a job for a skill that you realistically could come up to speed on well within the usual window of 1-3 months that most people need to become productive.

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