Why did python took over scheme/lisp in popularity ?

T.i.l. "false",0,nil count as true(#t).

PS, object-oriented, type-annotated, infix Scheme can look like this
Code:
#lang typed/racket (require infix) (require typed/racket/class)
(define-type Fish% ;--type definition
  (Class(init[size Real])
         [getsize(-> Real)]
         [grow(Real -> Void)]
         [eat((Instance Fish%) -> Void)]))
(: fish% : Fish%) ;--class type annotation
(define fish% ;--class definition
  (class object%
    (super-new)
    (init size)
     (: currentsize Real)
    (define currentsize size)
     (define/public(getsize)currentsize)
    (define/public(grow amt)
      (set! currentsize($"amt+currentsize")))
    (define/public (eat otherfish)
      (grow(send otherfish getsize)))))
(define afish1(new fish%[size 1]))(define afish2(new fish%[size 2]))
(send afish1 grow 4)(send afish1 getsize)(send afish1 eat afish2)(send afish1 getsize)
 
Google started using Python heavily and reinvesting in development of the language. Google is the corporate backing. It became a top-tier implementation language at Google earlier in the decade, and this had an impact in how seriously it was taken.

Early on at Google, there was an engineering decision to use “Python where we can, C++ where we must.” Python was used for parts that required rapid delivery and maintenance. Then, they used C++ for the parts of the software stack where it was important to have very low latency and/or tight control of memory.

It was one of the four official languages at Google. So it was bound to grow.

Python Programming language is heavily backed by Facebook, Amazon Web Services, and especially Google. Google adopted python language way back in 2006 and have used it for many applications and platforms since then. Lots of Institutional effort and money have been devoted to the training and success of the python language by Google. They have even created a dedicated portal only for python.

Much of the popularity of the current programming languages JS, Python, Visual Basic, C#, Swift, Objective-C, Groovy, Kotlin, Java, C++, Golang, etc has been caused by Apple, Microsoft, Facebook, AWS and Google. These five players now determine the majority of programming languages demanded by companies. In my opinion this is very unfortunate because none of these eleven popular languages is a decent language.

For programming operating systems and drivers, C and Rust are the most suitable. For all other things I would usually use Common Lisp, Nim, Chez Scheme or Haskell. These offer high expressiveness, performance, stability, and productivity. Haskell is easier for concurrency than Golang. Etc.
 
Since we are having beers let me ask.

What is the BFD about python27 and how much different is python3x.

From the sidelines I am confused how a major version upgrade could upend so much valuable but unmaintained software.

How could this break so badly? Is python3 when Google came into the room and let a big nasty stinker?
How could python break their own ecosystem so badly.
Why exactly can't they keep a legacy python2x branch?
After watching this debacle I threw away all my python books.
I have no desire to learn that anymore. Something is wrong over there.
 
So print statement changed and how division is done.
Changed the syntax. New range function.

So if you changed your base system between 2 and 3 so much why not fork it?
Very confusing to use the same name for different software.

Was C developed the same way? C99 brought changes but breaking everything?
Did all software require a rewrite there too when various versions of C were ratified?

 
The issue is Python v3 was created to fix some problems which Python 2 had, and also add new functionality. But instead of just releasing v3.0 they've adopted to a different approach: v2.7 will be maintained with security patches, but no new features, until v3 gains traction. In the meantime all development going into v3 of Python.

So there would be a transitional period, where both versions are being maintained, but only v3 being developed further and further. This is now officially over, Python 2.7 reached end of life two years ago. Python 3 also comes with a script which does maybe roughly 80% or so of code migration in an automatted kind of way.

There are way more changes, subtle ones and more obvious. In Python3 for example every string is Unicode, in Python2 it is not - you had to prefix stuff.

Here's the Changelog of v3.0 - since then much more stuff has been done in the last 12 years.


And here you've got a statement of Python core developer Brett Cannon why Python3 came into being.
 
Why did python take over scheme/lisp in popularity ?
Because AutoCAD dropped AutoLISP in favor of .NET

Just kidding. That was my primary LISP usage since early nineties.
They probably got huge kickbacks for promoting that .NET garbage.
AutoLISP still lives on in AutoCAD 2022. Hallelujah for that.
 
Emacs still uses LISP, so you've just got to promote Emacs more!

BTW: in the good old days people mocked Emacs as "Eight Megabytes and continously swapping." This is a mockery really fallen out of time given the fact, that many smartphones today have 6+ GB and more of RAM.
 
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