Is Python as powerful as the Wolfram Language of Mathematica?
Dr Darren of Webel IT Australia says: 'No! Python is not even vaguely close, it's not even in the same league. The blue guitarist Muddy Waters once said (paraphrased from the book Blues People)':"I have been and left places other people have not even seen"
"The functional capabilities of Python are superior to Mathematica!"
Dr Darren says: 'No! Mathematica is functional on steroids!!!'
'But Mathematica can't do OO!'
Dr Darren says: 'Visit this':
'The IDEs for Python are better!'
Dr Darren says: 'Visit this':
The integration of pseudo OO with ADTs is currently not ideal in the main Mathematica Notebooks, but the Wolfram Language IntelliJ Plugin works well with ADTs (but not so well with the user-contributed MTools packages for OO). It's worth it for the extra powers of Mathematica.
'Python can also do symbolic algebra like Mathematica!'
Dr Darren says: 'Don't be silly'.
'Python is THE best for testing!'
Dr Darren says: 'Visit this:
'Python is free!'
Dr Darren says: 'That much is true. But it depends on whether you expect your organisation or client to spend heaps of money instead on your hours (wage, salary, consultancy fees) instead of investing in a powerful tool that will help you get the job done faster, better, quicker, stronger, smarter.''Mathematica costs money!'
Dr Darren says: 'So do you if you keep insisting that you can do things more cost-effectively in Python that someone who commands the Wolfram Language can in Mathematica. ''Python is easier to learn than the Wolfram Language!'
Dr Darren says: 'Remind to inform all top concert pianists and violinists to please not use those instruments because they are too hard to learn and it's not fair. Besides:'
'Python is THE language of ... AI .. ML .. data science ..
Dr Darren says: 'Just saying it ever so enthusiastically over and over doesn't make it true. And Mathematica users don't care because Mathematica can speak Python too, and even has a dedicated built-in Python CLI.'
Zealous Python enthusiast on seeing something cool done in Mathematica:
'I can do that, I can do that, I can do that in Python!
Dr Darren says: 'I can do it in a Turing Machine, but that doesn't make it the best choice.'
'I found something that Python can do that Mathematica can't!
Dr Darren says: 'I found a googolplex of things Mathematica can do that Python can't, and Mathematica can handle a googolplex just fine.'
'Python is faster!
Dr Darren says: 'Ahem. Wolfram language code is mostly not slower than Python when coded with awareness of the language, and it can mostly be efficiently compiled to C (and easily) anyway. Identified bottle-necks can be identified and coded to permit compilation. Next challenge please.
Dr Darren says:
Given a choice between coding something in Python or the Wolfram Language in Mathematica, I will choose Mathematica every single time. Because it's better.