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Why is Python popular, while Lisp and Scheme aren't?

Eddie Corns eddie at holyrood.ed.ac.uk
Fri Nov 8 10:13:10 EST 2002 
oleg_inconnu at myrealbox.com (Oleg) writes:

>Hi

>I don't know much about Python, but I looked at this comparison
>between Python and Common Lisp (
>http://www.norvig.com/python-lisp.html ), and I couldn't help but
>wonder why Python is popular, while Common Lisp and Scheme aren't?

My opinion (the short version anyway) is that because Python is a lot easier
to learn and use.  It's a bit like the difference between a point and click
camera and a 'real' one - to use a 'real' camera for even a simple photo you
need to understand the whole biz.  However, unlike some languages I won't
mention, Python does its best to give the max. power (of Scheme,Haskell etc.)
for the max. ease of use.

Eddie
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