Re: using Lisp in astronomical data analysis

[language@skdad.usask.ca]

>    existing AIPS1 system. The decision to adopt a fairly conventional
>    language like C++ was controversial enough; a "weird" language like lisp
>    would have been impossible to sell to our conservative audience."
>
>There is a difference between "conservative" and "ignorant".  The former
>implies some familiarity with the subject matter.  The adjective
>"weird" is not one I have heard used in informed debate on programming
>languages.  If the issue of concern is difficulty in learning/using
>the language, I'd guess Lisp is much easier to learn from scratch than C++

this kindof debate is really reminiscant of the old I've got an IBM and
it's better than your Mac,  or vice versa,  debates...  but,  the fact
is,  either one will get you the same thing..  computer's a computer
and a language is a language..  sure,  one might require a bit more typing
to get the same thing... it's really a matter of style,  and not the
politics and arrogance apparant in such debates...
    john