In this case it matters whether they are legit in the eyes of the judicial system. TPB may not have violated the law, but they've been repeatedly prosecuted and legitimately (in the sense that it was sanctioned by a judge) blocked.
Windows XP has seen 3 service packs with major functionality overhauls. Not to mention countless update Tuesdays. Not sure how you can compare longevity with all the facts on the table.
You don't have to accept any pain at all. Either don't upgrade or stick to the version of Python you originally used and it will keep working forever. If it's not available by default on the new system - do a custom build (it's open source after all). Why make your own life more difficult?
And please remember that Python's (and other software in general) design decisions are based on a lot of different factors - the world doesn't revolve around your little script. If the Python release cycle doesn't suit your needs then perhaps you've picked the wrong tool for your job.
I don't argue with that, but one has to be realistic. There is a perfect way of writing perfect software in a perfect world and there is present reality where you have a number of developers proficient with certain tools (languages) that have particular interests in doing things their in a certain way. This is especially important in the open source community - when you are not paid to do something, you don't have to do it if it is not fun. Suppose, the KDE team (and I'm just guessing) has a number of really good C++ developers which are not as good with JavaScript, which is not so uncommon. Should they write stuff in JS? Probably not. On the other hand, using Qt gives them "scripting" for no cost - you can do C++, you can do QtQuick, you can do QML - whichever you are most comfortable with.
To summarize, in practice you have to get things done with the resources you have at your disposal - if you have a bunch of C++ developers, naturally you'll be getting a lot of things done in C++, but in the case of KDE you always have your options provided by Qt.
You have to understand that C++ is not intended for average programmers. Yes, it's harder, but people fluent in C++ are usually very good developers. For everybody else there are bindings in scripting languages. You don't expect novice programmers to work on KDE's core, do you? And C++ is not required for writing plasmoids or some simple apps.
> Something has to run your beautiful JavaScript and this something is written in C++, is immensely complex and often buggy.
What is buggy, anything written in C++, like KDE or only JavaScript? (When you make up arguments, think them through first)
JavaScript engines are buggy, HTML rendering is buggy, browsers are buggy, software in general is buggy. Just because you decide to write stuff in JS won't isolate you from bugs in other parts of your system.
> Might as well skip this intermediary and write your application directly in C++ using Qt.
Yes, this is why KDE has been so successful?! KDE is the worst example of GUI/Desktop for Linux. I used it for years, I upgraded constantly, the greetings screen got animated, nice icons, but the functionality, the overall user experience sucked - and I kept silent, because I wanted it to succeed, as Open Source advocate - until the failure could no longer be denied: 15 years for coming up with this non-sense and announced at/.?
KDE hasn't failed - lots of people use it, it's one of the major Linux (and BSD etc) Desktop Environments. I personally love KDE. I liked KDE3, not so much KDE 4.0 (released too early), but starting with KDE 4.1 it's been a smooth sailing - it's fast, configurable and very nice looking. I wouldn't take any other desktop - not Mac, not Windows, and certainly not Gnome of any kind. Although, I do (have to) use Windows at work, I installed KDE for Windows and use some of its apps (e.g. Kate, Kwrite) as replacements for whatever is available on Windows.
People like you are coding Qt/Gtk with technology 10 years old, with the X11 concept in mind (it was once great, but it's time to let it go, and with it all the libraries which relate to it); I programmed apps with X11 when Gtk was wishful thinking, and one had to allocate colors before doing anything else.
OK, I get it - you're a dinosaur programming-wise, and you can't even comprehend that things evolve, that programming in Qt is not the same it was 10-15 years ago (or whenever you last wrote your hello world program).
Something has to run your beautiful JavaScript and this something is written in C++, is immensely complex and often buggy. Might as well skip this intermediary and write your application directly in C++ using Qt.
P.S. If you "are not even a programmer", I don't see how you have enough expertise to make such broad conclusions about programming subjects.
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In this case it matters whether they are legit in the eyes of the judicial system. TPB may not have violated the law, but they've been repeatedly prosecuted and legitimately (in the sense that it was sanctioned by a judge) blocked.
Does this mean The Pirate Bay is legit now?
Windows XP has seen 3 service packs with major functionality overhauls. Not to mention countless update Tuesdays. Not sure how you can compare longevity with all the facts on the table.
I think he's too busy designing ultra-thin condoms for Africa - a way more important job in the grand scheme of things for humanity.
You don't have to accept any pain at all. Either don't upgrade or stick to the version of Python you originally used and it will keep working forever. If it's not available by default on the new system - do a custom build (it's open source after all). Why make your own life more difficult?
And please remember that Python's (and other software in general) design decisions are based on a lot of different factors - the world doesn't revolve around your little script. If the Python release cycle doesn't suit your needs then perhaps you've picked the wrong tool for your job.
Stick to a particular version of Python and you will have the same stability.
I don't argue with that, but one has to be realistic. There is a perfect way of writing perfect software in a perfect world and there is present reality where you have a number of developers proficient with certain tools (languages) that have particular interests in doing things their in a certain way. This is especially important in the open source community - when you are not paid to do something, you don't have to do it if it is not fun. Suppose, the KDE team (and I'm just guessing) has a number of really good C++ developers which are not as good with JavaScript, which is not so uncommon. Should they write stuff in JS? Probably not. On the other hand, using Qt gives them "scripting" for no cost - you can do C++, you can do QtQuick, you can do QML - whichever you are most comfortable with.
To summarize, in practice you have to get things done with the resources you have at your disposal - if you have a bunch of C++ developers, naturally you'll be getting a lot of things done in C++, but in the case of KDE you always have your options provided by Qt.
You have to understand that C++ is not intended for average programmers. Yes, it's harder, but people fluent in C++ are usually very good developers. For everybody else there are bindings in scripting languages. You don't expect novice programmers to work on KDE's core, do you? And C++ is not required for writing plasmoids or some simple apps.
> Something has to run your beautiful JavaScript and this something is written in C++, is immensely complex and often buggy.
What is buggy, anything written in C++, like KDE or only JavaScript? (When you make up arguments, think them through first)
JavaScript engines are buggy, HTML rendering is buggy, browsers are buggy, software in general is buggy. Just because you decide to write stuff in JS won't isolate you from bugs in other parts of your system.
> Might as well skip this intermediary and write your application directly in C++ using Qt.
Yes, this is why KDE has been so successful?! KDE is the worst example of GUI/Desktop for Linux. I used it for years, I upgraded constantly, the greetings screen got animated, nice icons, but the functionality, the overall user experience sucked - and I kept silent, because I wanted it to succeed, as Open Source advocate - until the failure could no longer be denied: 15 years for coming up with this non-sense and announced at /.?
KDE hasn't failed - lots of people use it, it's one of the major Linux (and BSD etc) Desktop Environments. I personally love KDE. I liked KDE3, not so much KDE 4.0 (released too early), but starting with KDE 4.1 it's been a smooth sailing - it's fast, configurable and very nice looking. I wouldn't take any other desktop - not Mac, not Windows, and certainly not Gnome of any kind. Although, I do (have to) use Windows at work, I installed KDE for Windows and use some of its apps (e.g. Kate, Kwrite) as replacements for whatever is available on Windows.
People like you are coding Qt/Gtk with technology 10 years old, with the X11 concept in mind (it was once great, but it's time to let it go, and with it all the libraries which relate to it); I programmed apps with X11 when Gtk was wishful thinking, and one had to allocate colors before doing anything else.
OK, I get it - you're a dinosaur programming-wise, and you can't even comprehend that things evolve, that programming in Qt is not the same it was 10-15 years ago (or whenever you last wrote your hello world program).
Something has to run your beautiful JavaScript and this something is written in C++, is immensely complex and often buggy. Might as well skip this intermediary and write your application directly in C++ using Qt. P.S. If you "are not even a programmer", I don't see how you have enough expertise to make such broad conclusions about programming subjects.