> ... However I do> think that those combinations are already deliberately> chosen in Python and neither arbitrary nor redundant. If> someone claims the opposite this is a pretty strong claim> that needs to be defended by good arguments not just> mourning and polemics.I agree strongly. > > The crux of the problem here is that plain> > vanilla...

> I mostly agree; I like self.x but dislike self in method> headers. However, if self was a keyword, then could you> say> > def f(self, y):> return self.x + y> SomeClass.f = f> > And still have it work? We'd also need to figure out how> to make the @staticmethod and @classmethod decorators work> properly.If I understand what Bruce is suggesting...

> When is "done" truly done in your> experience?When the deadline arrives or shortly thereafter.

> (uh, gosh, you 2 want to actually talk about invoke> dynamic *at all*? :-) :-)> > re: scala - how about> http://www.google.com/search?q=guidewire+gscript as a> viable alternative, meant to be less complex? i don't work> there and i've never used it, but i would like to get to> take it for a spin some day.The conversation has gone where it...

> > But if you say you won't require people write generic> > classes, you essentially require that no one use> generic> > interfaces as parameters.> > I don't see that.How can you implement a generic interface without writing a generic class? > Our architecture team is very hands on. You seem to have a> preconception associated with the title...

> AFAIK, there's no way to prevent people from not using a> language feature, and we don't prevent anyone from doing> so. Therefore, I see nothing demeaning about it. In fact,> our staff is entirely mid- and senior level developers. We> expect them to be able to use generic classes (although> not necessarily write them), we expect them to be...

> Sorry, I'm in a meeting and half thinking in two worlds.> Actually quarter thinking which adds up to my usual half> thinking. > > > > We are in a similar situation where we have a staff> > using> > > common code. We ease the complexity through> frameworks> > so> > > we don't have that problem. > > > > Which problem and how does the framework...

> Prior to 1.5, there weren't any. I consider generics as an> case in point which I guess you'd disagree. People can use> it as a client and not have to worry about the complexity.> Of course it is complicated by the fact Sun hosed the> implementation (erasure).I don't completely agree that clients can ignore the complexity of generics. It...

> It's called Visual Basic. ;-)VB is the opposite of what is needed. Hard to maintain without being very powerful. A loser on two counts.> Based on this argument, Java has already added too many> 'esoteric' features and should stop.Based on that logic, VB also has too many esoteric features. It's a non sequitur.Your conclusion doesn't follow...

> Will this give permission to slow down or abandon> evolution of Java? If so, I hope that means more focus on> Scala because I do not see dynamic languages filling the> shoes of Java. I don't see Scala filling the shoes of Java either. This isn't to say that Scala isn't a good language. It's just doesn't address the needs of the kind of...

> > I have, but I'm not sure how that applies here?> > 1. What you understand it means.> 2. What they understand it means.> 3. How it actually works.> > This applies the requirements too.I've worked on one project where this went reasonably well. The key was that there was a separate functional specification team that had the following...

Interesting but it's odd that we see articles about Agile going wrong but I've not seen any about this:"All of us team members were survivors of another much larger project. That project had been done with outsourcing to a CMM Level 5 organization, with great care in the methodology at our end and with careful detailed project management...

> What do you think of Atwood's suggestion that when> desiring great quality, a focus on quantity is more> important than a focus on quality itself?I think his point is absolutely correct but the above isn't really the essence. I think actually the point of the blog will be hard to understand if you don't already get it.I think you could sum...

My feeling based on my experiences is that a lot of this has to do with management succumbing to the flattery of their subordinates. Instead of promoting those that question their decisions, they promote those that always agree with and 'support' their questionable decisions. This creates an atmosphere of cult-like belief in absurd ideas.I see...

> As I mentioned before, we were able to succeed with SOA> using RESTful web services. I totally concur with Gregg> regarding success factors. I too come from a Jini> background and the values I learned in that world drove> how we solved our architecture challenges with RESTful web> services. Was this discussed at your presentation? I actually...