Python doesn't feel like a functional language (and Paul is blamed for making author want it to)(kunosure.blogspot.com)
kunosure.blogspot.com
Python doesn't feel like a functional language (and Paul is blamed for making author want it to)
http://kunosure.blogspot.com/2007/04/python-doesnt-feel-like-very-functional.html
4 comments
What the author means, is that Python does not feel like Lisp. It's true, but it doesn't make Python any less able to support FP. I code strictly FP for my work (science does not have state), and Python suits me fine in that regard.
I think if we had true multi-line anonymous functions we'd be in better shape. Better support for closures also I guess. Still learning Lisp as well as I knew it back in school so I'll have to decide later if macros would be a good thing to have in Python.
It doesn't surprise me that attempting to program functionally in a statement-oriented language feels like putting on the wrong size pants. The two things are like oil and water: naturally opposed.
See: http://www.prescod.net/python/IsPythonLisp.html