Re: [PATCH] Add prettify symbols to python-mode

[Xue Fuqiao <xfq.free@gmail.com>]

On Thu, Sep 24, 2015 at 4:35 PM, David Kastrup <dak@gnu.org> wrote:
> Xue Fuqiao <xfq.free@gmail.com> writes:
>
>> BTW, I was just trying making an analysis of the this problem, and of
>> course my analysis could be wrong.  Do you have any idea why newcomers
>> mostly prefer working on application-level code in Lisp?
>
> In my opinion that's a feature, not a bug.  Elisp is there for a reason.
>
>> (Let's try and stay constructive.  If we can find the causes, then we
>> have the possibility to improve the current condition.)
>
> We have Elisp exactly in order not to have to address problems by
> reverting to C programming.  In my opinion it is entirely the wrong idea
> to have people start solving problems in C because they prefer it to
> Elisp.  The main reason to solve problems in C is because there is no
> reasonably workable solution to be created in Elisp.  If beginners turn
> to C first, they will not even know whether there would be a reasonably
> workable solution available in Elisp.
>
> Elisp code can be debugged reasonably nicely, manages its memory and
> data structures reliably.  It's concise, memory-efficient and
> expressive.

I completely agree with these views, and that's one of the reasons I use
Emacs.  But Eli said:

   If this tendency continues, we will soon lose the ability to make
   deep infrastructure changes, i.e. will be unable to add new features
   that need non-trivial changes on the C level.

Solving problems in C is useful for "deep infrastructure changes", like
xwidget, dynload/modules, bidi, lexical scoping, GnuTLS support, font
rendering, Emacs server etc.