RetroSearch Browse

Thu Apr 12 05:13:33 EDT 2001 · http://mail.python.org/pipermail/python-list/2001-April/085245.html

I'm planning to do my graduate thesis (pro gradu) for MsC on (yet
unconfirmed and still vague) subject tightly related to Python.  In
short, the main goal is to test hypothesis that a program (or some other
piece of code) written in a very high level language or scripting
language (specifically Python in my study) is 3-10 times shorter
measured in lines of code than a program written in traditional system
programming language (eg.  C/C++/Java, don't know yet).  I intend to
concentrate on program length and analyse it not only by the number of
lines but rather to specify what _is_ a line of code and so forth
(remember, this is still just an idea :-).  Important part of the
forthcoming research would be to study measuring overall (why, what,
how) and to speculate on scripting languages in general.  I know that
the main subject (measuring Python programs) would be kind of "stating
the obvious" and I know the work done by Lutz Prechelt ("An Empirical
Comparison of C, C++, Java, Perl, Python, Rexx, and Tcl for a
Search/String-Processing Program") which covers also the program length,
but my idea (besides the fact that my study would be an undergraduate
research, so no new scientific results is required) is that hopefully
this kind of work could be ("sort of") referenced and "the obvious"
would be somewhere stated explicitely.  Also my intention would be to
study (possible) special features of Python.  Now (after the short
introduction :-), my question would be:

Is there "official" (or other) interest in such study? 

The reason for me to ask this is that in Helsinki University we are
supposed to write graduate thesis in one's native language, but it is
possible to write it in english.  Now, I'm still not sure whether I
should write it in english.  If there would be some real interest for
this kind of study, I could very well write it in english.  (If I would
get e-mail from the BDFL, I wouldn't have to hesitate at all ;-). 
Related, one has to do an explicit application to be allowed to write
the thesis in english and a short motivation from someone other than me
wouldn't hurt.  :-)

So, arguments for writing in english:

1) The work could possibly be beneficial for the Python community.
   This would give me extra motivation on improving the quality, 
   if and when my overall motivation decreases at some stage.

2) I would learn to write better english (ie. "scientific" english).

Arguments against:

1) The overall required effort for me would increase. 

2) I would not learn to write better finnish. :-)

Waiting for comments, Jarno.

Home - News ( United States | United Kingdom | Italy | Germany ) - Football scores

Showing content from http://mail.python.org/pipermail/python-list/2001-April/085245.html below:

Graduate thesis on Python-related subject