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Comment by peterb | Hacker News Reader

Yes, I like the Python also, but you have missed the point. For MBA-types, business types, and scientists the programming concepts are too much to learn. Why should they have to learn programming when their needs are simple? It is not just "keep it simple", it is "keep it simple" for non-programmers.

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Maybe I'm missing the point too, because I don't understand why he's arguing that Python and R should cater to people that don't want to use a programming language. Isn't that akin to arguing that C is too complicated because it allows you to directly access memory rather than abstracting that away?

MBA- and business types have Excel. As a researcher, I flex both Python and R regulary -- but I want the full power of a programming language, not a couple of macros to generate a pivot table.

Agree with this point. I'm both MBA/bizdev and software engineer. When putting on my MBA hat and working on sales forecast, decision making models, spread sheet is all I use. It is quick, tweakable, super easy to share. Whereas building my site which focuses on market research services, I resorted to C and existing stats packages cause they are powerful, more flexible, and basically programmable. To me what MBA/bizdev people need is significantly different from what a software developer writing stats-related code need. It is a very different scenario from the dropbox story...

The point was if you want to help a large number of people with their statistical problems, the basics should be really simple (like dropbox).

I understand that point. My point was that a Python library for statistics is not the right tool for them, but that in no way makes that statistic library or Python "bad." Python is a programming language. If you think that the users you have in mind can't handle programming, then don't give them a programming language.

You are right. Python and R are not the right tool for them. They are not "dropbox" simple. Er, wait ...

A) Any half-competent scientist is comfortable programming. B) Some programming is even required in a lot of undergrad business/MBA programs C) What the author really means by "MBA-types" are morons. So, yes there is a market for an user-friendly domain specific statistical language. It's called SAS. It's expensive. But it does the thinking for you...if you're a moron.

Also, none of this has anything to do with Python, which is an absolutely beautiful language.

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