Getting around the GIL is a huge step. Python's chief weakness is lack of parallel scalability, IMO. Most solutions around this (joblib, dask, etc.) don't feel like complete solutions. Not when, for example, in C++ or Julia you can slap a macro above a loop to make it instantly parallel.
People seem to be divided, because while the language is not bad, it's nothing special (seems like the only significant thing it brings to the table is the go routines, but other languages are adding similar functionality), there's a bit of hype going on because it's backed by Google.
It also initially was trying to be marketed as a C replacement, but it is nowhere close to fit the niche that C fits. Rust seems like a language that has potential to replace C, but it is too early to say.
Go is more on level of Python, Java etc, although a bit lower level than them. Some people compared it to D, but I never used it, so can't comment.
The goal of this language is to be a very simple and opinionated language, some people like that some don't.
If you are asking the question you can try and see if you like it, it has low learning curve, so it's not hard to learn it, and then you will have your opinion about it.
I've heard it's got a bit of boilerplate and written to be as easy to write as possible to help with the incredible amount of new talent Google gets out of schools.
Id say it's more about making it easy to read and maintain. The google code base is 2 billion+ LOC, so designing a language that eases the burden of maintaining a code base of that size seems like a sensible goal.
Getting around the GIL is a huge step. Python's chief weakness is lack of parallel scalability, IMO. Most solutions around this (joblib, dask, etc.) don't feel like complete solutions. Not when, for example, in C++ or Julia you can slap a macro above a loop to make it instantly parallel.
[deleted] 25 points · Jan 2017
It doesn't need GIL, because it offers subset of functionality that python has. It is not even capable of compiling all python standard library.
This code is for Google to move away from python. They can include python libraries in their go code and then one by one rewrite it in go.
sultry_somnambulist 10 points · Jan 2017
Speaking of this, what's the general trajectory of go? Is it worth dabbling into at this point? People seem to be very divided over the language.
[deleted] 13 points · Jan 2017
People seem to be divided, because while the language is not bad, it's nothing special (seems like the only significant thing it brings to the table is the go routines, but other languages are adding similar functionality), there's a bit of hype going on because it's backed by Google.
It also initially was trying to be marketed as a C replacement, but it is nowhere close to fit the niche that C fits. Rust seems like a language that has potential to replace C, but it is too early to say.
Go is more on level of Python, Java etc, although a bit lower level than them. Some people compared it to D, but I never used it, so can't comment. The goal of this language is to be a very simple and opinionated language, some people like that some don't.
If you are asking the question you can try and see if you like it, it has low learning curve, so it's not hard to learn it, and then you will have your opinion about it.
TankorSmash 2 points · Jan 2017
I've heard it's got a bit of boilerplate and written to be as easy to write as possible to help with the incredible amount of new talent Google gets out of schools.
Only a rumour though.
the_birds_and_bees 5 points · Jan 2017
Id say it's more about making it easy to read and maintain. The google code base is 2 billion+ LOC, so designing a language that eases the burden of maintaining a code base of that size seems like a sensible goal.
derraidor 1 points · Jan 2017
There is a talk by one of the creators (Russ Cox?) stating this