Mailman 3 March 2000 - Python-announce-list

Zope Weekly News
by Mike Pelletier March 1, 2000

March 1, 2000

G'day, Zope Weekly News is a digest of some of the useful and interesting events which have occurred on the various Zope mailing lists and the Zope.org site. It is published each Wednesday evening. Any opinions contained in the Zope Weekly News are those of the chronicler exclusively. Announcements * XML.com has published another Zope article by Amos Latteier, titled "Advanced XML Applications in Zope" http://www.xml.com/pub/2000/02/23/zope/index.html New Products * Software Product: PMPSurvey, by "sleeper" This is another survey product. It supports single and multiple answer questions. It may easily be embedded within other web pages, and reportedly sports a nice management interface. http://www.zope.org/Members/sleeper/PMPSurvey Updates * Software Product: FSSession, by "gaaros" This product can be used to maintain arbitrary per-visitor data (session data) without burdening your ZODB with excessive transactions. It does this by storing the sessions on your filesystem. This update, 0.2.3, uses cPickle, which makes it faster and more flexible. There are additional new features. http://www.zope.org/Members/gaaros/FSSession * Software Product: BannerFolder, by "lalo" This product randomly displays one of it's contained ads or DTML Methods. There are provisions for tracking click-thrus and for limiting the number of times an ad will display. The current version is 0.4. http://www.zope.org/Members/lalo/BannerFolder * Software Product: ZRadius, by "Zen" This is a Radius authenticator. It can be used on it's own, or in Zope as a GenericUserFolder plug-in. This is a bug-fix release, bringing the version to 1.1. http://www.zope.org/Members/Zen/ZRadius Zope.org items * Zope Documentation Plan, by Amos Latteier Amos Latteier is soliciting feedback on his Zope Documentation Plan. It describes the initiatives to improve the documentation situation which are underway at DC, their goals, and the assumptions they are based on. If you would like to offer feedback, Amos is available at <amos(a)digicool.com>. http://www.zope.org/Members/Amos/Documentation/Plan * Tip: Using PythonMethods on FreeBSD, by "als" This tip points out that a module required by PythonMethods (new) is not enabled by default by FreeBSD's python port. It describes the solution. http://www.zope.org/Members/als/tips/PythonMethod_FBSD * All Product Releases, by Martijn Pieters This page is designed to be used with wget, Go!Zilla, or some other web-sucking tool. It contains links to every Product Release on the Zope site. http://www.zope.org/Members/mj/AllProds * How-To: Wizards Made Easy, by "jspisak" This document explains a few techniques which make it easy to create simple multiple-page forms, like Windows' Wizards. http://www.zope.org/Members/jspisak/wizard_keys -- Mike Pelletier. Return-Path: <jeremy(a)cnri.reston.va.us> Delivered-To: python-announce-list(a)python.org Received: from cnri.reston.va.us (ns.CNRI.Reston.VA.US [132.151.1.1]) by dinsdale.python.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id A3D4E1CD7E for <python-announce-list(a)python.org>; Tue, 7 Mar 2000 14:01:04 -0500 (EST) Received: from ns1.cnri.reston.va.us (host202 [132.151.1.202]) by cnri.reston.va.us (8.9.1a/8.9.1) with ESMTP id OAA27070 for <python-announce-list(a)python.org>; Tue, 7 Mar 2000 14:01:05 -0500 (EST) Received: from goon.cnri.reston.va.us.cnri.reston.va.us (goonx [10.27.30.39]) by ns1.cnri.reston.va.us (8.8.8+Sun/8.8.8) with SMTP id OAA10725 for <python-announce-list(a)python.org>; Tue, 7 Mar 2000 14:03:01 -0500 (EST) Date: Tue, 7 Mar 2000 14:03:01 -0500 (EST) Message-Id: <200003071903.OAA10725(a)ns1.cnri.reston.va.us> Resent-Message-ID: <14533.24324.758962.63891(a)goon.cnri.reston.va.us> Resent-Date: Tue, 7 Mar 2000 14:56:52 -0500 (EST) Resent-From: Jeremy Hylton <jeremy(a)cnri.reston.va.us> Resent-To: python-announce-list(a)python.org MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit From: Jeremy Hylton <jeremy(a)cnri.reston.va.us> Reply-To: jeremy(a)cnri.reston.va.us To: python-list(a)python.org Cc: python-annouce(a)python.org Subject: DCPIGgies: Next Monday, 7:30 pm X-Mailer: VM 6.75 under 21.1 (patch 7) "Biscayne" XEmacs Lucid Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Sender: python-announce-list-admin(a)python.org Errors-To: python-announce-list-admin(a)python.org X-BeenThere: python-announce-list(a)python.org X-Mailman-Version: 1.2 (beta 1) Precedence: bulk List-Id: Announcement-only list for the Python programming language <python-announce-list.python.org> The next DCPIGgies (DC Python Interest Group) meeting is less than a week away. The meeting will be held at CNRI on Monday, March 13 from 7:30pm to 9:00pm. If you plan to attend, please RSVP to me: jeremy(a)cnri.reston.va.us. Speaker: Scott Cotton Static Type and Interface Checking for Python General Review and Fundamental Decisions Abstract ---------- This presentation reviews various possible ways of adding static type checking to python. The problem poses two questions: 1) What sort of static type checking system would be most appropriate for python? 2) By what means may static type checking be made optional? A decision tree for each question is presented based on a combination of type theory, an understanding of python, and properties that have become apparent in the development of a sample type checking system. Finally, we discuss some overall approaches that would maximize the benefits and/or minimize the drawbacks of adding optional static type checking to python. Scott will be speaking from 8:00 to 9:00pm. We will have food and introductions starting at 7:30pm. We may also have some time after the talk for Q&A with Guido and Barry on Python and JPython. Pizza, salad, and soda will be provided courtesy of Foretec Seminars. Please RSVP by email to jeremy(a)cnri.reston.va.us. I need to know how many people will attend and how many will be eating pizza. Directions to CNRI can be found on the Web: http://www.cnri.reston.va.us/directions.html See you there! -- Jeremy Hylton <http://www.python.org/~jeremy/>

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New mailing list for IDLE development
by Guido van Rossum March 1, 2000

March 1, 2000

As part of the CP4E project, we're planning to do major work on IDLE. This includes an overhaul of the debugger, adding project management, customization, and more. We've created a new mailing list to discuss this work. Jeremy and I expect to do most of the work here at CNRI, but we welcome contributions and design discussions. We plan to carry out most of our own discussions about IDLE on the list as well. I'll post a more detailed document about our plans to the list, once enough people have signed up. IDLE will continue to be part of the standard Python distribution. Contributions will be treated the same way as regular contributions to Python (see python.org/patches) but they will be discussed and should be posted to the idle-dev mailing list. To join the mailing list, go to http://www.python.org/mailman/listinfo/idle-dev See you there! --Guido van Rossum (home page: http://www.python.org/~guido/) -- ----------- comp.lang.python.announce (moderated) ---------- Article Submission Address: python-announce(a)python.org Python Language Home Page: http://www.python.org/ Python Quick Help Index: http://www.python.org/Help.html ------------------------------------------------------------

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Dr. Dobb's Python-URL! - weekly Python news and links (Feb 28)
by Fredrik Lundh March 1, 2000

March 1, 2000

Help wanted: Andrew Kuchling: Maintainer needed for the curses module http://www.deja.com/=dnc/getdoc.xp?AN=590053755 David Ascher: Call for Patch for Borland compiler http://www.deja.com/=dnc/getdoc.xp?AN=588013997 www.faqts.com: Python Knowledge Base http://www.faqts.com/knowledge-base/index.phtml/fid/199/lang New mailing lists: ASP scripting with Python: http://www.asplists.com/asplists/asppython.asp Glenn Norton announces a small study group for Python newcomers: http://www.egroups.com/group/python-studies/info.html More Python-related projects move to sourceforge: Numerical Python: http://numpy.sourceforge.net Bernard Herzog's Sketch: http://sketch.sourceforge.net Alessandro Bottoni reviews John Grayson's 'Python and Tkinter programming,' and likes what he sees: http://www.deja.com/=dnc/getdoc.xp?AN=588012707 Over at the software carpentry, Philip Wadler discusses how to 'embed' a make-like tool in Python: http://software-carpentry.codesourcery.com/lists/sc-discuss/msg00068.html >From the newsgroup: Tim Peters: Fun with Lazy Streams http://www.deja.com/=dnc/getdoc.xp?AN=590446915 http://www.deja.com/=dnc/getdoc.xp?AN=590532128 (errata) Tom Bryan: How to configure Emacs to use Python http://www.deja.com/=dnc/getdoc.xp?AN=587498993 http://www.python.org/emacs/python-mode Tim Peters: Performance penalties when using nested functions http://www.deja.com/=dnc/getdoc.xp?AN=589614882 Fredrik Lundh: How to do file locking on Windows http://www.deja.com/=dnc/getdoc.xp?AN=589808979 Aahz Maruch: How to use threads (a simple threading example) http://www.deja.com/=dnc/getdoc.xp?AN=570016307 Fredrik Lundh: extracting hyperlinks from an HTML document http://www.deja.com/=dnc/getdoc.xp?AN=588617613 Tom Bryan: Comparing Perl and Python http://www.deja.com/=dnc/getdoc.xp?AN=588777654 Jamie Zawinski: Tabs versus Spaces: An Eternal Holy War http://www.jwz.org/doc/tabs-vs-spaces.html Jay Graves wants to run Python on AS/400: http://www.deja.com/=dnc/getdoc.xp?AN=588863805 Andreas Otto: proposes a 'token-stream compiler' for Python http://home.t-online.de/home/aotto/compiler-Paper.html (in german) The annual GUI war came and went. Highlights: Gerrit Holl: Python GUI Comparision http://www.nl.linux.org/~gerrit/gui.html Guido van Rossum: Tkinter vs. wxPython http://www.deja.com/=dnc/getdoc.xp?AN=589134497 Peter Funk: Tkinter works with Tcl/Tk 8.3.0 http://www.deja.com/=dnc/getdoc.xp?AN=589280553 Lyle Johnson: Python bindings for the FOX user interface toolkit http://home.hiwaay.net/~johnson2/FXPy Fredrik Lundh: Some notes on Tkinter performance http://www.pythonware.com/people/fredrik/fyi/fyi03.htm Kevin Rogers: Where to find Tkinter documentation http://www.deja.com/=dnc/getdoc.xp?AN=588911772 Fredrik Lundh: How to print stuff from Tkinter http://www.deja.com/=dnc/getdoc.xp?AN=588907043 Kevin Cazabon: How to make sure Tkinter images stay on screen http://www.deja.com/=dnc/getdoc.xp?AN=589175052 Robin Becker: Tkinter stubs for dummies http://www.python.org/pipermail/python-list/2000-February/046654.html On the lighter side: Martijn Faassen explains why Tim Peters must be invisible: http://www.deja.com/=dnc/getdoc.xp?AN=588080148 Will Ware: Phyththon misspelling contest http://www.deja.com/=dnc/viewthread.xp?AN=589151105 Egbert Bouwman: a regular expression that matches all possible spellings of the word 'python' (from 'pitn' to 'phphphieyythonne'): http://www.deja.com/=dnc/getdoc.xp?AN=589804937 ...and finally, Francois Pinard wonders what a 'killer app' really is. Bill Gates has the answer: http://www.python.org/pipermail/python-list/2000-February/046773.html ======================================================================== Everything you want is probably one or two clicks away in these pages: Python.org's Python Language Website is the center of Pythonia http://www.python.org eff-bot's complements this digest with his daily python url http://hem.passagen.se/eff/url.htm Much of Python's real work takes place on Special-Interest Group mailing lists http://www.python.org/sigs/ Python Consortium emerges as an independent nexus of activity http://www.python.org/consortium The Vaults of Parnassus ambitiously collects Python resources http://www.vex.net/~x/parnassus/ Python To-Do List anticipates some of Python's future direction http://www.python.org/cgi-bin/todo.py Python Journal is at work on its second issue http://www.pythonjournal.com Links2Go is a new semi-automated link collection; it's impressive what AI can generate http://www.links2go.com/search?search=python Archive probing trick of the trade: http://www.dejanews.com/dnquery.xp?QRY=&DBS=2&ST=PS&defaultOp=AND&LNG=ALL&f… Previous - (U)se the (R)esource, (L)uke! - messages are listed here: http://purl.org/thecliff/python/url.html or http://www.dejanews.com/dnquery.xp?QRY=~g%20comp.lang.python%20Python-URL%21 Suggestions/corrections for next week's posting are always welcome. http://www.egroups.com/list/python-url-leads/ To receive a new issue of this posting in e-mail each Monday morning, ask <claird(a)neosoft.com> to subscribe. Mention "Python-URL!". -- The Python-URL! Team-- Dr. Dobb's Journal (http://www.ddj.com) is pleased to participate in and sponsor the "Python-URL!" project. == Cameron Laird <claird(a)NeoSoft.com> Business: http://www.Phaseit.net Personal: http://starbase.neosoft.com/~claird/home.html -- ----------- comp.lang.python.announce (moderated) ---------- Article Submission Address: python-announce(a)python.org Python Language Home Page: http://www.python.org/ Python Quick Help Index: http://www.python.org/Help.html ------------------------------------------------------------

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Multi-argument append() is illegal
by Guido van Rossum March 1, 2000

March 1, 2000

I've noticed that there is some code out there that creates a list of tuples and uses code like list.append(a,b,c) to add the tuple (a,b,c) to the list. According to the documentation, this is illegal: append() only takes a single argument, and one should write list.append((a,b,c)). However, the actual append() implementation didn't mind, and implemented list.append(a,b,c) as list.append((a,b,c)). Many people are using this even though it's never been documented. I am going to rectify this in Python 1.6 -- people coming from other languages might well expect list.append(a, b, c) to mean the same as list.append(a); list.append(b); list.append(c), and it's always been my philosophy to make ambiguous syntax illegal rather than to pick one interpretation randomly. This message is simply a heads-up that you should be aware of this change (when 1.6 comes out, which should be before the summer). You can test your programs using the current CVS version (see www.python.org/download/cvs.html). You can also grep through your sources for a pattern like "\. *append *\(.*," -- which doesn't find every occurrence, but is a good starting point. If you have a smarter grep-like tool you may be able to write a tighter matching expression. Watch out for false hits though: some classes define their own multi-argument append()... --Guido van Rossum (home page: http://www.python.org/~guido/) -- ----------- comp.lang.python.announce (moderated) ---------- Article Submission Address: python-announce(a)python.org Python Language Home Page: http://www.python.org/ Python Quick Help Index: http://www.python.org/Help.html ------------------------------------------------------------

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