Re: python/Jython vs Java in Fiji scripting - was split channels and all files in a directory

[Daniel James White]

Hi Elizabeth

On Apr 8, 2011, at 2:13 AM, IMAGEJ automatic digest system wrote:

>
> Date:    Thu, 7 Apr 2011 20:14:05 +0200
> From:    Crowell Elizabeth <[hidden email]>
> Subject: Re: split channels and all files in a directory
>
> Several people on the list have now responded very caustically to one
> user's criticism of the ImageJ language.  It is unpleasant to receive
> such messages in one's letterbox, especially since they contain zero
> useful information.
> If these comments excite such controversy, why not offer arguments as to
> why one language might be more appropriate than another?  This is not a
> religious issue, after all... or is it for some of you? ;)

as I understand it, only the choice of text editor is really religious,
as all programming languages are really the same...   ;-)

>
> Personally, I am dying to know in which cases Java or Python might be
> more suitable and why.

From my beginner in programming perspective there are the main differences.

Python is easy to get started in, as you dont have to declare the type of variables (its "weakly typed")
and the syntax is very terse and human readable.
You can achieve a lot in a few lines of code.
But the weak typing can catch you out and provide bugs....
and since its interpreted not compiled , you dont find bungs until you run it.

In java, things get much  more serious and heavyweight.
Its strongly typed, and needs to be compiled.
So at least you see bugs at compile time... but you have to compile it.

So in a nutshell,
python/jython for quick prototypes and simple plugins
java for real plugins that need to be rock solid.

at least thats how I get it so far...

cheers

Dan

>
> - Elizabeth

Dr. Daniel James White BSc. (Hons.) PhD
Senior Microscopist / Image Visualisation, Processing and Analysis
Light Microscopy and Image Processing Facilities
Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics
Pfotenhauerstrasse 108
01307 DRESDEN
Germany

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