[ale] flip flopping on programming, now interested in c++

[Doug Hall]

Okay, we've taken a small detour on the path to full employment, but
just for the sake of equal time...

I used to be of the same mindset with Geoffrey on whitespace. The
language shouldn't force it on you. Then, I started using a web
templating language - haml <http://haml.info/> along with its sister
product "sass" (for generating css) in creating web pages. It was only
after using it for a while that I saw the true advantage of the
whitespace enforcement. For one, it's shorter. There's less to type.
Granted a curly brace takes up little room, and it's only one
character (as opposed to the 'do', 'end' bookends in ruby, for
example). But it's more than that. At least with haml, it also acts as
a bit of a syntax checker. You have to try really hard to write
invalid html in haml. The indentation shows haml precisely where to
put the closing tags for you. Plus, all my source (when you view
source on a rendered web page) is nicely formatted. I imagine Python
has similar advantages. Also, if you have things too deeply nested,
that's a sign you need to refactor (with or without whitespace
enforcement).

So, that's it in a nutshell. Don't knock it till you've used it for a
while. In fact, remember me when you've left in one brace too many and
can't find the sucker. Won't happen in Python! There are advantages to
form and function working hand in hand.

Ron, nice job on the summary. At 48, I'm a bit of an old fart myself.
"Old" is a lot more abstract now than it ever was, however. ;-)
Picking up new skills doesn't come as easily as it did when I was in
my twenties. I will say that at our age, we're as likely to get hired
by the breadth of our knowledge as the depth of it. You might be more
employable as an Obi-Wan Kenobi, than as Luke Skywalker, as it were. I
think you're on the right path, though. You've gotten some good advice
here. And remember --- use the source. (ducking for cover)

Doug