does anybody earn a living programming in python?

[jmdeschamps at gmail.com]

Alex Martelli wrote:
> Magnus Lycka <lycka at carmen.se> wrote:
>    ...
> > stuff in the world, so my standard extrapolation technique would yield
> > 30000 python programmers globally.
>
> I think this estimate is low, based on three piece of data I know (but,
> sorry, are all confidential;-) and thus one I can infer:
> -- I know how many copies of "Python in a Nutshell" Google buys;
> -- I know how many Python programmers work at Google;
> -- I know how many copies the Nutshell sells worldwide;
>
> Assuming the willingness to buy "Python in a Nutshell" is constant
> across the population of Python programmers (and I don't believe my
> working there influences anything -- Google had the Nutshell in the
> standard set of books engineers use, well before I got hired there), I
> can project a worldwide number of Python programmers that's several
> times higher than that.
>
> Or perhaps not, depending on the definition of "Python programmer".
> Most of Google's software developers who know Python also know one or
> more (generally several) of C, C++, Java, SQL, HTML, Javascript, &c,
> though they may or may not use any one or more of them often on the job;
> many Googlers who program only in Python do not _just_ program -- they
> are also working on other jobs besides software development (hardware
> design, testing, management, administrative assistance, system
> administration, network operations, whatever...).  Hey, by a
> sufficiently strict definition _I_ don't count as a "Python programmer",
> since I also do substantial amounts of management, not to mention a
> little bit of C++, some C, SQL, HTML, and so forth...;-)
>
>
> Alex
A few points:
Personnally, I've never heard_of a Python_only programmer...
When I chose Python for web dev programming class, no one knew why I
was using a (second_rate) handy-crafty language, instead of
ASP-PHP_whateverP language that was in the mainstream.
Because of academic freedom, I was allowed to show it as a *different*
type of language.
Most mainstream job boards here in Montreal had never posted ANY (not
that I could find) jobs (5 years ago) NONE so it went that it Python
would just be a *educational* add-on for the students.
Since then, feedback from students in industry is that it is being used
more and more, day in and day out by top world class shops (games,
effects, etc). BUT It's still Java, C++, PHP, SQL that have the
marketing demands...
Finally, also (personnal interpretation) because of the BUG2000 Scare,
shops had boosted the staff with just about anyone they could get there
hands on prior to this event, with the son, mom and great-grand uncle
who could do a database of contacts in MSAccess (and this is NOT
demeaning MSAccess), so now companies are NOT posting for the jobs in
this *language* oriented fashion outside the mainstream (Java,
C++,etc).
Finally, most programmers and programmers-wannabe-students just don't
hope to be top-tier in their trade - They just want a job, so they can
marry, play, pay rent, go home - Sorry, most are not interested in
technology, and since most managers I have seen, in a 15 year career in
dev before taking a teaching job, don't CARE about technology, you have
a perfect match for Java, PHP advertisement...
My two cents, rooting for Python (and Ruby and Lua and OCaml, and ...
you get the point!)

Jean-Marc