Business issues regarding adapting Python

[Roger Binns]

Nash wrote:
> 3. If we do train people in Python for say a month; are we just
> creating a team of mediocre programmers? Someone who has worked with
> Python for over an year is much different than someone who has worked
> with Python for only a month.

In my experience the best way to "train" new developers is to have them work
on porting, maintenance, bug fixing, testing etc of your product.  This way
they get exposed to your code, methodologies, quirks and values (eg
security, internationalization, test coverage etc).  It only needs to happen
for a few months and has them in a position where they will do little harm
to the main development.  You'll also get a good idea where they will be
best deployed.

If your existing code base is a good example for the new developers to
follow then this should work very well even for developers new to Python
(but competent in other languages).

> 4. Any suggestions or idea? Related posts, articles etc would
> certainly help!

Start a user group:

  http://wiki.python.org/moin/LocalUserGroups

There is a Pakistan Linux User's Group and so should be some affinity and
overlap with them.

> I know that going Java will probably mean a 3x increase in the number
> of people that we have and require time for Python component
> replacement with Java ones. But for Business Continuity sake,
> management doesn't mind.

Or you could offer to pay Python developers more, and make it known that is
happening.  You'll soon find some more supply :-)

Hopefully your next question will be about interviewing Python developers ...

Roger