Python is not Java

I recently read some old stuff on Phillip J. Eby's blog, and the Python Is Not Java entry really hit home. I'm not a new Python programmer, I've been using it from around 1996 or so, about as long as Java. But every now and then I see Java-isms creep into my code. It's usually after I try some fancy approach and later on come to wonder why my code stinks. I've been especially guilty about writing completely unnecessary getters and setters and doing (or even converting module level functions to) class methods that end up being just painful to use.

The parts that are more Lisp-inspired tend to be a whole lot better. I've never yet regretted returning a function from a function. Too bad about Python's lame lexicals.