Mailman 3 March 2003 - Python-announce-list

ANN: New release of SalStat Statistics Package
by alan_salmoni＠yahoo.com 03 Mar '03

03 Mar '03

Hi all, Following a release the other day, there is a new release of the SalStat Statistics Package written in Python with wxPython, Numeric and SciPY. >From the website (http://salstat.sunsite.dk), there is a source download (http://salstat.sunsite.dk/salstat.20030227.zip - 439k) which needs Python, wxPython, Numeric, SciPy (and I believe PIL) to be installed. For Windows users, there is a self-installing executable made with the McMillan installer and the Inno installer (thanks to the guys who wrote these!) available from http://salstat.sunsite.dk/salstat.20030227.setup.exe (7.78MB). This version allows chi square tests (observed in the first column, expected in the second column of the 2 condition test dialog), better graphs (thanks to SciPy plt function), and the interface has been spruced up a bit more. It loads ASCII files generally well, but don't leave too many blank spaces where there should be missing data. Thanks to all who have helped in one way or another. The next version should features multi-factorial anova with simple and main effects easily accessible from the interface (no syntax files needed!). Feedback is requested regarding test accuracy and interface experience. Please fire (not flame!) away as I have had little feedback about the interface lately (either I'm doing something very right, or very wrong indeed!) Have fun! Alan James Salmoni SalStat Statistics http://salstat.sunsite.dk

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[ANN] custom 0.7.1 released
by Luke Kenneth Casson Leighton 03 Mar '03

03 Mar '03

Custom 0.7.1 ------ custom is an e-commerce solution for small to medium-sized businesses that provides: - a customisable web front-end for customers and Point-of-Sale staff to place orders - for warehouse staff to manage stock - for accountants and sales staff to manage and generate invoices - for purchasing managers to keep track of suppliers and competitive pricing. Download -------- http://sf.net/projects/custom OS Requirements --------------- Custom is a pure Python application. Therefore it is entirely your choice as to what OS you use, but it must obviously run python (see http://python.org). Python is known to run on Linux, all version of Unix, all the BSDs, BEOS, MAC/OS 10, and many others. Additional Features ------------------- The major changes since 0.6 are the inclusion of product reconciliation scripts. Stock from multiple suppliers results in products with the same name: the database becomes quickly unmanageable... The major changes since 0.5 are the use of HTML templates which may be modified at the webmaster's discretion, independent of the source code. Security Considerations (Internet use only) ----------------------- Please note that if you intend to put Custom on an Internet Server that you should consult with a security expert regarding your implementation, paying particular attention if you are in the UK to the Data Protection Act. Your choice of OS and your implementation of Custom should reflect your willingness to ensure that your customers' confidentiality (and credit card details) is protected from hackers. In other words, being blunt and spelling it out: please don't install Custom on a default installation of Windows with no security patches, no firewall, and then expect it to stay up on the Internet without getting hacked. Your data is ENTIRELY your responsibility. By Law. Software Requirements --------------------- This package requires or uses some additional software packages, which can all be obtained as RPMs, Debian Packages or compiled from Source if you feel the need. At each site, RPMs, DEBs and source are all typically available for download. RPMs can be found using rpmfind.net; Debian packages can be found using apt-cache search <packagename>, using dselect or going to debian.org; and the Source packages are available individually at the URLs shown below. You should always ensure that, if you are putting Custom on an Internet Server, that the latest security fixes have been applied (on an on-going basis), and that you keep up-to-date with security alerts, e.g. from bugtraq and NTbugtraq. Of particular note is that if you wish to use a separate SQL database server, then obviously you need to install the client-side SQL access software on the Custom server, but you will clearly not need to install the SQL server software on the same machine. You will need: - An up-to-date web server capable of SSL (if you need it) and also capable of running CGI-bin scripts. e.g. Apache2 (http://apache.org) - Python 2.1 or greater (http://python.org) - the pysqldb package version 0.5 or greater (http://sf.net/projects/pysqldb) - EITHER: - MySQL client libraries (http://mysql.org) - Andy Dustman's MySQLdb package (requires MySQL client) (http://sf.net/projects/mysqldb) OR: - Pysxqmll (a Python / MS-SQL / XML client for MS-SQL 2000) (http://sf.net/projects/pysxqmll) [what a stupid name.] - The mxDateTime and DateTime packages (http://starship.skyport.net/~lemburg/mxDateTime.html) - PyCrypto version 1.9a1 or greater (http://sf.net/pycrypto) - Python HTML-TMPL (generates HTML from templates) In case you were wondering, PostgreSQL and SAPdb are under investigation to be added into the database abstraction system that custom uses. custom uses some features in the SocketServer class that were introduced in Python 2.1. If you wish to stick with Python 2.0, you may wish to copy over the SocketServer.py file from the distribution of Python 2.1 or greater, and use that (making sure that you back up your original SocketServer.py file!) Debian install ------ It's a lot easier if you are using Debian: here is a list of the package names. It'll be even easier once the Debian packaging is released. - python-crypto - python-egenix-mxdatetime - python-mysqldb - python-htmltmpl - apache or apache2 If you install the three python packages using apt-get or dselect, that should be enough to pull in all the dependencies (including Python 2.2 and MySQL) The development of the debian "custom" package is presently underway. SQL --- You must also install MySQL or MS-SQL 2000 on a server, where you may wish to install the SQL server on a separate system. If you do so, as noted above you will need to put the MySQL or MS-SQL client libraries onto the Custom Server and For various reasons, a high-availability cluster pair is recommended for your SQL system, under which circumstances, if you are considering HA, you CAN install the custom package on the same box as the SQL database - if you know what you are doing (otherwise, run only one Custom server and use a separate SQL cluster). You WILL be able to run the Back Office program monitord.py, on a HA cluster, because it is designed to cope with several concurrent copies of monitord.py running off the same SQL server. Optional requirements --------------------- A barcode scanning device, such as those available from Worth Data (www.pcbarcode.com) that reads EAN and other barcodes and pretends to be a USB keyboard, proves to be very useful. If you are running Linux, install the full HID USB device module and the Input Device and Keyboard support modules: CONFIG_INPUT=m CONFIG_INPUT_KEYBDEV=m CONFIG_USB_HID=m Do not be fooled into installing the partial HID USB keyboard device (CONFIG_USB_KBD) on its own, because it won't work, you MUST install the full HID support.

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spyce v1.3.9 released
by Rimon Barr 02 Mar '03

02 Mar '03

Spyce v1.3.9 released on 1 March 2002 SPYCE is a server-side language that supports simple and efficient Python-based dynamic HTML generation. Those who are familiar with JSP, PHP, or ASP and like Python, should have a look at Spyce. Its modular design makes it very flexible and extensible. It can also be used as a command-line utility for static text pre-processing. Get it at: http://spyce.sourceforge.net Changes since the previous release annoucement (v1.3.5): - improved built-in webserver - added support for ASP/JSP-like syntax - minor fixes and documentation updates Enjoy, Rimon. Change log: v1.3.9 spyceWWW web server improved - configuration options integrated into spyce.conf - handler mechanism created - defined spyce and dump handlers - reads Apache format mime-type definition files - .spy files ==> spyce handler; rest ==> dump handler - can display directory listings - configuration options added accordingly - corresponding documentation changed documentation restructured to explain common configuration file options in the runtime section fix: docs/examples/*.gif added to rpm and windows installer expanded section on how to get Spyce running under IIS via CGI v1.3.8 user request: modified request.get/post/get1/post1/env() to accept default values (note: will break code that provided caseInsensitive parameter by position) added request.getpost/getpost1/postget/postget1/default() methods bug fixes: python 1.5 backwards compatibility issues in the following online examples: gif.spy, myPortal.spy, mysession.spy v1.3.7 support for ASP-style delimeters -- <% %> use of Bastion eliminated, due to Python deprecation v1.3.6 info.spy example updated to deal with implicitly loaded taglib module minor documentation fix for doc-mod_include quotes for the PythonPath in httpd.conf

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Python and XUL: Luxor XUL Python Example Suite Released
by gerald＠vamphq.com 02 Mar '03

02 Mar '03

The Luxor XUL (XML User Interface Language) Python example suite is now available and includes a mini calculator, a channel surfer, a counter and more. Grab a copy at http://sourceforge.net/project/showfiles.php?group_id=28946 (look for the luxor-python-examples package). Here's a sneak preview: counter.xul: ================================ <xul> <vbox id="COUNTER"> <groupbox> <caption label="Counter"/> <textbox id="DISPLAY" style="align: center; color: yellow; background: black; font: 24 bold monospace;" /> </groupbox> <hbox> <button label="Dec (-)" command="dec" style="width: 90px" /> <button label="Clear" command="clear" style="width: 90px" /> <button label="Inc (+)" command="inc" style="width: 90px" /> </hbox> </vbox> </xul> counter.py ================================ # -- cut -- class CounterForm( XulForm ): def __init__( self ): XulForm.__init__( self, "COUNTER" ) self.setup() def init( self ): self.display = XulInput( self, "DISPLAY" ) def setCounter( self, counter ): self.display.text = str( counter ) class AppFrame( JFrame ): def __init__( self ): JFrame.__init__( self, "Luxor Counter Example" ) DynXulAction( "inc", self.onIncCounter ) DynXulAction( "dec", self.onDecCounter ) xul = XulMan( "c:/sandbox/python/src/counter/chrome" ) def onIncCounter( self ): self.counter += 1 self.updateCounter() def onDecCounter( self ): self.counter -= 1 self.updateCounter() # -- cut -- That's it. Enjoy. - Gerald (Luxor Project Lead) PS: What is XUL? To get started with XUL (XML User Interface Language) check out the Richmond Post XUL Link-opida online @ http://luxor-xul.sourceforge.net/post/links.html PSS: What is Luxor? Luxor is an open-source XML User Interface Language (XUL) toolkit in Java that supports handpicked Mozilla XUL goodies and includes a web server, a portal engine (supporting RSS), a template engine (Velocity), a scripting interpreter (Python) and more. For more info check out the Luxor site @ http://luxor-xul.sourceforge.net

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Vote on PEP 308: Ternary Operator
by pep308vote＠hotmail.com 02 Mar '03

02 Mar '03

BASICS ------ Vote by email no later than Noon (EST) on Sunday, March 9, 2003. Use the following format: To: pep308vote(a)hotmail.com Subject: PEP308 From: <valid email address> Line 1: <letter of most preferred format> <accept or reject> <format> Line 2: <letter of second best format> <accept or reject> <format> Line 3: <letter of third best format> <accept or reject> <format> Line 4: <full name of voter> Line 5: <example 1> Line 6: <example 2> Line 7: <example 3> Line 8: <example 4> Line 9: <example 5> Every line is required. The published results will only include lines 1, 2, 3, and 4. Note, that means your name is published. You can use a fake name but a real name is preferred. The email address is used for: assuring only one vote per address. notification of an improperly formatted ballot. resolving any questions that arise about the vote process. Write-out these five examples using your most preferred syntax: x = "door" + (if quantity>1: "s" else: "") data = (if hasattr(s, 'open'): s.readlines() else: s.split()) z = 1.0 + (if abs(z) < .0001: 0 else: z) t = v[index] = (if t<=0: t-1.0 else: -sigma /(t + 1.0)) return (if len(s)<10: insertsort(s) else: quicksort(s)) Note, the examples are required but will not be used. Try to get them right, but it is okay if they are wrong. Marking accept means that you prefer this format over no-change. Marking reject means that you prefer no-change, but if there is one, then the marked choice would be the best one. CHOICES (taken from Erik Max Francis's posting of seconded choices) ------- A. x if C else y B. if C then x else y C. (if C: x else: y) D. C ? x : y E. C ? x ! y F. cond(C, x, y) G. C ?? x || y H. C then x else y I. x when C else y J. C ? x else y K. C -> x else y L. C -> (x, y) M. [x if C else y] N. ifelse C: x else y O. <if C then x else y> P. C and x else y Q. any write-in vote Note 1: All of these options have short-circuit behavior. That means that cond(C,x,y) would be a special syntax. Note 2: All options are eligible. If the PEP notes that a proposal had been rejected at some point, then consider it revived. SAMPLE BALLOT ------------- C accept (if c: x else: y) D reject c ? a : b H reject c then a else b John Jones x = "door" + (if quantity>1: "s" else: "") data = (if hasattr(s, 'open'): s.readlines() else: s.split()) z = 1.0 + (if abs(z) < .0001: 0 else: z) t = v[index] = (if t<=0: t-1.0 else: -sigma /(t + 1.0)) return (if len(s)<10: linsort(s) else: qsort(s)) RATIONALE AND PROCESS --------------------- In the end, only Guido's vote counts. The purpose of the voting is to provide him with information about how the community feels. The goal of collecting preferences along with accept/rejects is to allow everyone (including those who prefer the status quo) to also be able to express which syntax they find least objectionable. The end result is that Guido will know which is the most preferred syntax AND the how much it is preferred to the status quo. The purpose of publishing both names and the votes is to provide assurance that the process is honest. Also, I think that people are more careful in their voting if they publicly take a position. However, if someone wants to vote in secret, they are welcome to use a pseudonym; at least, they will see their chosen name on the tally and know their vote was counted. The purpose of the examples section is voter education. This provides some assurance that each voter has at least tried their own preferred syntax. EXCEPTION HANDLING ------------------ If there is a dispute, I'll ask Laura Creighton to resolve it. Her decision will be final. If I messed-up the ballot, I will repost a correction. If the email account fails, I will open a new one and extend the voting by a day. If you make a mistake or change your mind, you may re-submit your vote and the previous vote will be thrown out. If there are any questions or discussion, please use the newsgroup. The email address listed above is only for ballots. Vote Early. Vote Once. Raymond Hettinger

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