Where do you think python is going?
 

Ok guys:
this is a result of an argument that I had with a like minded computer friend. he said that Python doesn't have a place in today's world. In other words: there are pre-existing languages that do a better job than python does.
I said that Python has it's place for newbie programers. He is a javascript fanatic, and I think that might have something to do with his outlook.
I mucked around in python for awhile, then moved on to Java. I have messed around with HTML and some javascript. Also some Qbasic (wrote the absolute last prog in that dead lang for a school project.)

Do you think that schools should be teaching python instead of qb?

titanium_geek

"Do you think that schools should be teaching python instead of qb?"

I think that schools should be teaching almost anything else other than QBasic. Python is one possibility.

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Steve Stites

python was dead at birth the only thing keeping it barely alive is bit torrent

My thoughts are that Python is very much alive and well.

Freshmeat.net seems to agree with me:
Python (1263 projects)
Java (2525 projects)

Eirc Raymond sites it as 1 of the 5 languages you should learn in "How To Become A Hacker" :
http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/hacker-howto.html

All you have to do is try to write something in python and you will be amazed at how little effort it takes. At work I code in Java, and I think that it is an excellent language, but my next web site is going to run mod_python.

cludwin

And, the 1263 projects mentioned above, alot of the Redhat config tools...

I use it often (I'm not the seasoned programmer I claim not to be.) It is quite easy to use, I just used it to create an IRC triviabot (mostly to learn the language, though) and found it great. I need to find more uses for it!

Ian

Python is a great language.

Few reasons:
1. Gentoo Porting system was writeen in Python - If you've used Gentoo, you'll know why that's good.
2. It's alot easier to write a C script in Python, debug it, then convert it to C (From Python) - Although possible with a few languages.
3. Power? You want power in Python, it's simple, only 50 minutes after beginning my Python education, I had already created an Instant Messenger client and server (Therefore an IM Service), and I am no programmer.
4. The simple syntax, the only thing that's essential for Python are the indents, it takes the shortcuts where Visual Basic should have.

School's should definately be teaching Python instead of QBasic.

The real question, what do you guys think of Ruby? ;)

From what i heard, Python is great for fast prototyping. Write some ideas in Python, see if they work. Then convert it to some possibly more efficient language.

I've only looked at Python briefly over the summer and it seemed very nice. The syntax is very clear and the oop elements are very nicely designed in my opinion. I'm hoping to explore it a bit more in the near future once my current college semester ends.

BTW, Chu, i was wondering; what resources did you use to learn Python? Was it a book, site?

As far as Ruby. I glanced at it 2 weeks ago after reading some articles about it at www.artima.com. It looks very interesting and in fact i got more excited about it than when i was looking at Python.

I know Perl fairly well, but don't find it all that great for large projects nor cgi. Ruby is somewhat based on Perl and bears many similarities to Python, Java, etc. I'll have to actually write some programs in it before i can trully get an opinion of it.

I love python. The syntax and whitespace always produces nice readable code.

Also, there is a module for basically everything you could want, all included in the stock distribution.

Not trying to dis Python, since it is my prefered language.
But about the modules.. Perl has roughly 10 million more modules :P

Umm.. I learnt Python via the book "Python in a nutshell" by Alex Martelli.
It's a great book, and even though I believe I have a good grasp on Python, I still use the book as a text book and refer back to things.

Did you know that:
49% of all statistics are made up on the spot
29% of the population believes made-up statistics

So, um, where did you come up with that number? Not to mention that quantity isn't as important as quality. I'll concede that Perl has more, but some of the modules in CPAN are pretty crappy and it'd almost be easier just to rewrite them. The stock python modules are pretty good in general and they fit 90% of my needs, if not more.

Have you seen Kahakai?
Try that i in qbasic :p

I believe that Python is on of the fastest growing languages. It's interesting that Python are being used for visualazation and advanced mathematics.

Search for Python on Sourceforge and you will se a lot of useful projects. There are even cad programs!

I am learning Java for the Computer Science AP.
But I would like to learn Python to say: Oh yes.. I know python aswell.
so what do you guys think about python for web development?

titanium_geek

you're not the last person to write a program in qbasic. The computer teacher at my school still uses qbasic for introductory computer programming.

grr...
this what turns people off programing.

titanium_geek

What about Jython
http://www.jython.org/docs/whatis.html

Integrating Python with Java sounds like it would make it a valuable tool.