Mailman 3 May 2001 - Python-announce-list

[Application] GypsyMail 0.5.4 beta
by Parnassus Submission 16 May '01

16 May '01

GypsyMail 0.5.4 beta -------------------- A Form Mail cgi script A Python clone of the well-known cgiemail script, with added features and flexibility. This script allows you to set up an HTML form on your website, to collect information from your site's visitors, and send a very nicely formatted e-mail to yourself, or other e-mail addresses. Comes with sample forms and templates. Cross-platform. Under continuing development. .zip format file also available for download. I am looking for testers for this script. URL: http://www.thinkspot.net/sheila/computers/software/gypsymail.html Download: http://www.thinkspot.net/sheila/computers/software/gypsy/gypsy054.tar.gz License: GPL Categories: CGI Scripts Sheila King http://www.thinkspot.net/sheila/ -- <a href="http://www.thinkspot.net/sheila/computers/software/gypsymail.html">GypsyMail 0.5.4 beta</a> -- A Form Mail cgi script

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Dr. Dobb's Python-URL! - weekly Python news and links (May 14)
by Paul Prescod 14 May '01

14 May '01

Bill Gates calls Python, "an extremely well-designed language"! No, Bill Gates doesn't, but one of his two partners on the first Microsoft BASIC interpreter does. Monte Davidoff, who programmed floating point arithmetic for that first MS product, is now into Python. http://www.theregister.co.uk/content/4/18909.html Chris Abraham announces foundation of the Zope Python User's Group: http://www.zpug.org/ Mark Lutz, one of Python's writers-in-residence, interviewed on O'Reilly. Slashdot picks up the interview. http://python.oreilly.com/news/python_0501.html http://slashdot.org/developers/01/05/11/0021241.shtml A thread on range-generation shortcuts reveals deep truths about the future of iterators and inconsistencies in Python's implementation of filter: http://groups.google.com/groups?ic=1&th=771b2135332fffae In the same thread, Alex Martelli describes the reason that Python does not include the top index in slices and ranges: http://groups.google.com/groups?ic=1&selm=9db4i801beb%40news2.newsguy.com Only a few weeks after the release of PyGame, a game-development framework for Python, Pete Shinners releases a game based on it. The game is written in concise, readable Python code: http://shredwheat.zopesite.com/solarwolf Several people send John Flynn code emulating two of his favorite features from Delphi, property handlers and event handlers. http://groups.google.com/groups?ic=1&th=5e36e9393ed06770 Skip Montanaro asks about converting between 8-bit strings and Unicode strings and learns about the Python's Unicode design. http://groups.google.com/groups?ic=1&th=e05ff0346d9e47d1 Daniel Klein asks whether Python's survival is dependent on Guido's interest and ability to avoid buses. Various posters describe why Python is safe no matter what happens to any individuals: http://groups.google.com/groups?ic=1&th=e0a0d70bc71cedc3 How do threads, processes, message queues and IDEs interact on Windows? A "Python DoEvents" thread reveals all. http://groups.google.com/groups?ic=1&th=771b2135332fffae ======================================================================== Everything you want is probably one or two clicks away in these pages: Python.org's Python Language Website is the traditional center of Pythonia http://www.python.org Notice especially the master FAQ http://www.python.org/doc/FAQ.html PythonWare complements the digest you're reading with the daily python url http://www.pythonware.com/daily comp.lang.python.announce announces new Python software. Be sure to scan this newly-revitalized newsgroup at least weekly. http://groups.google.com/groups?oi=djq&as_ugroup=comp.lang.python.announce Michael Hudson continues Andrew Kuchling's marvelous tradition of summarizing action on the python-dev mailing list once every other week. http://starship.python.net/crew/mwh/summaries/ http://www.amk.ca/python/dev The Vaults of Parnassus ambitiously collect Python resources http://www.vex.net/~x/parnassus/ Much of Python's real work takes place on Special-Interest Group mailing lists http://www.python.org/sigs/ The Python Software Foundation has replaced the Python Consortium as an independent nexus of activity http://www.python.org/psf/ Cetus does much of the same http://www.cetus-links.de/oo_python.html Python FAQTS http://python.faqts.com/ 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 tricks of the trade: http://groups.google.com/groups?oi=djq&as_ugroup=comp.lang.python&num=100 http://groups.google.com/groups?meta=site%3Dgroups%26group%3Dcomp.lang.pyth… Previous - (U)se the (R)esource, (L)uke! - messages are listed here: http://purl.org/thecliff/python/url.html or http://groups.google.com/groups?oi=djq&as_q=+Python-URL!&as_ugroup=comp.lan… Suggestions/corrections for next week's posting are always welcome. [http://www.egroups.com/list/python-url-leads/ is hibernating. Just e-mail us ideas directly.] 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

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Sketch 0.6.10 - A vector drawing program
by Bernhard Herzog 14 May '01

14 May '01

Sketch 0.6.10 - A vector drawing program Sketch is a vector drawing program for Linux and other unices. It's intended to be a flexible and powerful tool for illustrations, diagrams and other purposes. It has advanced features like gradients, text along a path and clip masks and is fully scriptable due to its implementation in a combination of Python and C. More information, sources and binaries are available at the website: http://sketch.sourceforge.net/ Summary of the Changes since 0.6.9: * Russian translation. * Several fixes to both the setup script and Sketch's internals to make it work with Python 2.1. * The SVG import filter has basic support for text and images. * In the print dialog, the "rotate ccw." checkbutton is automatically set when the document uses landscape page orientation. * Several bug fixes Sketch is released under the GNU Library General Public License.

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MayaVi 1.0 released.
by Prabhu Ramachandran 14 May '01

14 May '01

Hi, This is to announce the availability of the MayaVi Data Visualizer version 1.0. This is the first release. MayaVi is a free, easy to use scientific data visualizer. It is written in Python and uses the Visualization Toolkit (VTK) for the graphics. It provides a GUI written using Tkinter. MayaVi is free and distributed under the GNU GPL. It is also cross platform and should run on any platform where both Python and VTK are available. MayaVi is based on ideas from an earlier Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) data visualizer called VTK-CFD. The original VTK-CFD code base has been completely rewritten and redesigned. The resulting project has been renamed MayaVi and has been SourceForged. For more information, downloadable sources, screenshots, installation instructions, documentation etc. visit the MayaVi home page at: http://mayavi.sourceforge.net Also bundled with MayaVi is a VTK pipeline browser written in Python. This pipeline browser enables one to view and configure the objects in the VTK pipeline. Also included with this is a simple VTK object "pickler". Using this one can save the state of a VTK object to a file and reload it later. The latest version of the pipeline browser is 1.1 and is available at: http://mayavi.sourceforge.net/vtkPipeline/ Have fun! prabhu

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[Module] mp3info.py-0.3
by Marc Lindahl 11 May '01

11 May '01

mp3info.py-0.3 -------------- module to analyze/filter/deal with mp3 audio file information tags (id3 and header) in a "filter" format. This module allows you to create a string which holds an mp3 file, and has some extra data to easily read the header and id3 tag info. Also, it's set up to easily change the id3 information and output a new string with the new information. In the future it could be extended to be able to modify the header info too, but that would mean walking the entire file, since the header is stored in every frame. adapted from MP3infor.py (Eduardo Roldan) by Marc Lindahl URL: http://www.zope.org/Members/bowerymarc/ Download: http://www.zope.org/Members/bowerymarc/mp3info-0.3.tgz License: GPL Categories: Sound/Audio Marc Lindahl (marc(a)bowery.com) http://bowery.com -- <a href="http://www.zope.org/Members/bowerymarc/">mp3info.py-0.3</a> -- module to analyze/filter/deal with mp3 audio file information tags (id3 and header) in a "filter" format.

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Distutils 1.0.2 released
by Andrew Kuchling 11 May '01

11 May '01

A new release of the Distutils, version 1.0.2, is now available. This is a maintenance release that fixes various bugs, and is identical to the code included with Python 2.1 (well, except for a trivial version number change). This release is for use by Python 2.0 and 1.5.2 users who want to benefit from the various fixes and improvements that were made for 2.1. It can be downloaded from: http://www.python.org/sigs/distutils-sig/download.html (Or from your local python.org mirror.) The changes in this release are: * fixes to accommodate the major revisions made to Python's build system for 2.1. * from Thomas Heller: the installer generated by bdist_wininst now includes an uninstaller. Other enhancements are: --bitmap command line option allows to use a different bitmap file instead of the built-in python powered logo. --title lets you specify the text to display on the background. * from Jack Jansen: added 'get_command_list()' method, and Mac-specific code to use it to generate a dialog for users to specify the command-line (because providing a command-line with MacPython is awkward). * applied patches from Jack Jansen for the Mac and the Metrowerks compiler * added 'platforms' and 'keywords' to the set of metadata that can be specified for a distribution. * the sdist command now writes a PKG-INFO file, as described in PEP 241, into the release tree. * applied patches from Jason Tishler to make the compiler class work with Cygwin. * various bugfixes --amk

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ANNOUNCEMENT: The Python Imaging Library, version 1.1.2
by PythonWare 11 May '01

11 May '01

yet another release from the labs: The Python Imaging Library (PIL) adds image processing capabilities to your Python interpreter. This library supports many file formats, and provides powerful image processing and graphics capabilities. Version 1.1.2 is a maintenance release, which fixes a couple of problems caused by incompatible changes in Python 2.1. It also fixes some other bugs. See below for details. Get your copy of the source kit here: http://www.pythonware.com/downloads/#pil For more information, including support options and information on the PIL plus extensions, see the product site: http://www.pythonware.com/products/pil/ enjoy, the pil team "Secret Labs -- makers of fine pythonware since 1997."

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Python 2.1 for RISC OS
by Dietmar Schwertberger 11 May '01

11 May '01

============================================================================ Python 2.1 for RISC OS release 2001-05-05 ============================================================================ I'm pleased to announce that binaries of Python 2.1 for RISC OS are available from http://www.schwertberger.de . If you don't know the Python programming language, you may have a look at the Executive Summary below or at http://www.python.org/ . RISC OS Python includes the following highlights: * An integrated interface to the SWI system * Drawfile support * Interfaces to the RISC OS WIMP and toolbox (with examples) * Numeric and plotting packages For use of Python you will need a filing system with long filename and >77 files/directory support. What is Python? Executive Summary ================================== Python is an interpreted, object-oriented, high-level programming language with dynamic semantics. Its high-level built in data structures, combined with dynamic typing and dynamic binding, make it very attractive for rapid application development, as well as for use as a scripting or glue language to connect existing components together. Python's simple, easy to learn syntax emphasizes readability and therefore reduces the cost of program maintenance. Python supports modules and packages, which encourages program modularity and code reuse. The Python interpreter and the extensive standard library are available in source or binary form without charge for all major platforms, and can be freely distributed. Often, programmers fall in love with Python because of the increased productivity it provides. Since there is no compilation step, the edit-test-debug cycle is incredibly fast. Debugging Python programs is easy: a bug or bad input will never cause a segmentation fault. Instead, when the interpreter discovers an error, it raises an exception. When the program doesn't catch the exception, the interpreter prints a stack trace. A source level debugger allows inspection of local and global variables, evaluation of arbitrary expressions, setting breakpoints, stepping through the code a line at a time, and so on. The debugger is written in Python itself, testifying to Python's introspective power. On the other hand, often the quickest way to debug a program is to add a few print statements to the source: the fast edit-test-debug cycle makes this simple approach very effective. Who & Thanks ============ Thanks to Chris T. Stretch, Laurence Tratt, James Bursa, Andrew Clover and Simon Callan for porting and maintaining previous versions of RISC OS Python, contributing code and working on the future (32bit, RM version) for RISC OS Python... Thanks to Guido v. Rossum and Martin v. Loewis for merging the RISC OS patches with the standard Python source tree (and of course special thanks to Guido for creating Python). Bug reports etc. ================ RISC OS specific bug reports, contributions, comments, critics, links to RISC OS compatible Python libraries to dietmar(a)schwertberger.de

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python-dev summary 2001-04-26 - 2001-05-10
by Michael Hudson 10 May '01

10 May '01

This is a summary of traffic on the python-dev mailing list between Apr 26 and May 9 (inclusive) 2001. It is intended to inform the wider Python community of ongoing developments. To comment, just post to python-list(a)python.org or comp.lang.python in the usual way. Give your posting a meaningful subject line, and if it's about a PEP, include the PEP number (e.g. Subject: PEP 201 - Lockstep iteration) All python-dev members are interested in seeing ideas discussed by the community, so don't hesitate to take a stance on a PEP if you have an opinion. This is the seventh summary written by Michael Hudson. Summaries are archived at: <http://starship.python.net/crew/mwh/summaries/> Posting distribution (with apologies to mbm) Number of articles in summary: 228 40 | [|] | [|] | [|] | [|] [|] | [|] [|] 30 | [|] [|] | [|] [|] | [|] [|] | [|] [|] | [|] [|] 20 | [|] [|] [|] [|] | [|] [|] [|] [|] | [|] [|] [|] [|] [|] | [|] [|] [|] [|] [|] [|] | [|] [|] [|] [|] [|] [|] 10 | [|] [|] [|] [|] [|] [|] [|] | [|] [|] [|] [|] [|] [|] [|] [|] [|] [|] [|] | [|] [|] [|] [|] [|] [|] [|] [|] [|] [|] [|] [|] | [|] [|] [|] [|] [|] [|] [|] [|] [|] [|] [|] [|] | [|] [|] [|] [|] [|] [|] [|] [|] [|] [|] [|] [|] 0 +-007-024-010-001-010-010-044-023-019-010-002-012-017-039 Thu 26| Sat 28| Mon 30| Wed 02| Fri 04| Sun 06| Tue 08| Fri 27 Sun 29 Tue 01 Thu 03 Sat 05 Mon 07 Wed 09 A fairly quiet, but interesting fortnight (and I don't mean the sarcastic replies to the Homepage virus). A few build problems and bugs fixed, and one very involved discussion (cf. most of the rest of this summary). * type == class? * Guido posted a message from Jim Althoff describing the metaclass system used in Smalltalk: <http://mail.python.org/pipermail/python-dev/2001-May/014508.html> He also mentioned a problem that is bound to bite any attempt to heal the type/class split in Python. If there are to be no special cases in the type system then classes and types in particular should be instances. This sounds innocuous, but consider: class MyDictType(DictType): def __repr__(self): return "MyDictType(%s)" % DictType.__repr__(self) The code is hoping that, as in today's Python, DictType.__repr__ will return an unbound method - the __repr__ method of vanilla dictionaries, so that output of the form MyDictType({1:2}) will be given. But DictType is now an instance, so there's another interpretation for DictType.__repr__ - the bound DictType's own __repr__ method! This is a fundamental problem; currently "class.attr" and "instance.attr" have different meanings in Python, and any attempt to conflate the notions of "class" and "instance" is bound to run aground. Guido proposed some hairy disambiguation rules in the above-linked message, but no-one was particularly enthused about them, possibly because no-one could really get their head round them. The long term solution is to change the syntax for getting - or removing entirely - unbound methods. As far as anyone can make out, all that unbound methods are used for is called superclasses' methods from overriding methods, so if one can find another way of spelling that, then removing unbound methods entirely could be contemplated. So the discussion on that went around for a bit, with no really new compelling ideas surfacing. There was some support for some kind of souped up super.foo() construct: <http://mail.python.org/pipermail/python-dev/2001-May/014523.html> To me, the most plausible ideas came from Thomas Heller: <http://mail.python.org/pipermail/python-dev/2001-May/014517.html> and from Paul Dubois, who suggested nicking the feature renaming feature from Eiffel: <http://mail.python.org/pipermail/python-dev/2001-May/014573.html> though the best syntax for the latter is far from clear. There's also the king-sized issue of backwards compatibility; to a first degree of approximation, *all* Python code that uses inheritance would need to be updated to accommodate changes in the meaning of "class.attribute". Another __future__ statement, maybe? * data.decode * Marc-Andre Lemburg asked if it might be an idea if string objects sprouted an .decode method: <http://mail.python.org/pipermail/python-dev/2001-May/014547.html> After some umming and arring and accusations of bloat, this got BDFL approval, and should appear in CVS imminently. * Moving MacPython to sourceforge * Jack Jansen posted notice that he intends to move the MacPython code over to sourceforge: <http://mail.python.org/pipermail/python-dev/2001-May/014611.html> It will be nice to finally have all the code in the same place! Cheers, M.

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[Web Site] Zope Python User Group in Washington, DC
by Chris Abraham 09 May '01

09 May '01

Zope Python User Group in Washington, DC ---------------------------------------- Announcing Yet Another User Group in DC: ZPUG.ORG ZPUG[1] is a new User Group for people who love Zope and Python. New and Forming. URL: http://www.zpug.org Categories: Info/Books/Tutorials, User Group Chris Abraham (cja(a)well.com) http://www.chrisabraham.com -- <a href="http://www.zpug.org">Zope Python User Group in Washington, DC</a> -- Announcing Yet Another User Group in DC: ZPUG.ORG

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