Jerry Pournelle gives award to Python and Guido for 2008

[Richard Hanson]

[Tardy as well as drifting off-topic:]

Terry Reedy wrote:

> Richard Hanson wrote:
>
> > Jerry Pournelle commends Python and Guido in "The Annual Orchid
> > and Onions Parade" portion of his Chaos Manor Reviews column:
> > 
> > ><http://www.chaosmanorreviews.com/oa/2009/20090109_col.php>
> > 
> > [snip]
> 
> Great nomination. 

Thanks for the kind words, Terry.

> In October [Jerry Pournelle] wrote
> "Languages to Begin With
> 
> If you want to try learning what programming is like, I recommend you 
> start with Python. (Python.org) It's free, it's fast, and there are a 
> lot of example programs you can look through. The Wikipedia article on 
> Python gives a good description of the language and its history, as well 
> as an example of a Python program. Don't let the capability of the 
> language fool you into thinking you need to learn a lot before you can 
> do anything: you can write simple good programs in Python within a 
> couple of hours of beginning. O'Reilly has several books on the 
> language; I recommend Learning Python as a beginning, and those more 
> serious about learning the language need the O'Reilly Python Cookbook — 
> at least if you are like me and more comfortable learning languages by 
> studying examples.
> 
> Peter Glaskowsky notes that "Python is a language that relies on dynamic 
> typing and other kinds of looseness in order to increase programmer 
> productivity," and may not be entirely suitable for learning good 
> programming practices. I have to agree, but it is free, it does work, 
> and I confess I use it when I have a job that needs doing fast. In my 
> case I often craft filters and other specialized text processing, and 
> Python is excellent for that. I've never attempted to write a large and 
> complex Python program."

Thanks as well for that quote, Terry. I'd missed those comments
of Jerry's.

Nowadays, I hardly have time to keep up with colapy, py-dev, and
Jerry's View and Mail pages -- let alone unimportant, real-life
stuff. :-)

On-topic to the thread: It's gratifying to see Python taking over
the world of programming so thoroughly -- Jerry reaches a
different audience and his evangelizing (above) can but add to
the pythonicalization of the world.

Lookin'-through-the-wrong-end-of-Guido's-time-machine-again-ly
y'rs -- 

Richard "Tardis" Hanson