Python-URL! - weekly Python news and links (May 5)

[Cameron Laird]

[Authored by Gabriel Genellina.]

QOTW:  "Even on alt.haruspicy they cannot do much without a liver now
and
then..." - Peter Otten
   http://groups.google.com/group/comp.lang.python/msg/7852938d0b92bd7b


   Mixing bytes and unicode when writing data in Python 3.x:
       http://groups.google.com.ar/group/comp.lang.python/t/72614b3e49b2efe/

   The best way to join two lists: a.extend(b) or a+=b?
       http://groups.google.com.ar/group/comp.lang.python/t/e56703a77aff9c67/

   How to check who is still holding a reference to some object:
       http://groups.google.com.ar/group/comp.lang.python/t/ca9ca80d1f9b13da/

   Using metaclasses to define class-level, inheritable computed
attributes
   (properties):
       http://groups.google.com.ar/group/comp.lang.python/t/78394a73748c176f/

   How to compute a/b (a float value) when both numbers are really big
   integers outside the float range?
       http://groups.google.com.ar/group/comp.lang.python/t/bdfe5287890e5776/

   When creating millions of objects, disabling the garbage collector
may
   enormously improve performance:
       http://groups.google.com.ar/group/comp.lang.python/t/4294c4c585e75a6d/

   The right way to define __str__, __repr__ and __unicode__ in Python
2:
       http://groups.google.com.ar/group/comp.lang.python/t/e208e63e399ec52a/

   rfind()'s 'start' argument is quite unintuitive:
       http://groups.google.com.ar/group/comp.lang.python/t/d03fbdcacfbf5794/

   Generating nested code using a context manager:
       http://groups.google.com.ar/group/comp.lang.python/t/1200df3bd70afaa6/

   How can open() succeed but os.path.realpath() fail with the same
file
   name? (and later: how the Unix filesystems work)
       http://groups.google.com.ar/group/comp.lang.python/t/771f233167ac6d8e/

   [Windows] It may be wise to download Visual Studio Express 2008
now, to
   still be able to recompile C extensions in the future:
       http://groups.google.com.ar/group/comp.lang.python/t/65e34924e7d42c90/

   The available options for Web application development (and a
comparison
   with PHP):
       http://groups.google.com.ar/group/comp.lang.python/t/7caab317a1d56d6e/

   The dot in a.b is not an operator, and it's quite different from a
+=b
   (started as a new syntax proposal, the .= operator):
       http://groups.google.com.ar/group/comp.lang.python/t/c6f9171c7659a999/

   A proposal for engineering notation (like scientific format but
exponent
   is always multiple of 3):
       http://groups.google.com.ar/group/comp.lang.python/t/421f611d0235b9f6/

   How strong are statements like 'dict.keys() and dict.values()
correspond
   to each other'?
       http://groups.google.com.ar/group/comp.lang.python/t/29915caa46255e21/


========================================================================
Everything Python-related 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
   marvelous daily python url
        http://www.pythonware.com/daily

   Just beginning with Python?  This page is a great place to start:
       http://wiki.python.org/moin/BeginnersGuide/Programmers

   The Python Papers aims to publish "the efforts of Python
enthusiasts":
       http://pythonpapers.org/
   The Python Magazine is a technical monthly devoted to Python:
       http://pythonmagazine.com

   Readers have recommended the "Planet" site:
       http://planet.python.org

   comp.lang.python.announce announces new Python software.  Be
   sure to scan this newsgroup weekly.
       http://groups.google.com/group/comp.lang.python.announce/topics

   Python411 indexes "podcasts ... to help people learn Python ..."
   Updates appear more-than-weekly:
       http://www.awaretek.com/python/index.html

   The Python Package Index catalogues packages.
       http://www.python.org/pypi/

   Much of Python's real work takes place on Special-Interest Group
   mailing lists
       http://www.python.org/sigs/

   Python Success Stories--from air-traffic control to on-line
   match-making--can inspire you or decision-makers to whom you're
   subject with a vision of what the language makes practical.
       http://www.pythonology.com/success

   The Python Software Foundation (PSF) has replaced the Python
   Consortium as an independent nexus of activity.  It has official
   responsibility for Python's development and maintenance.
       http://www.python.org/psf/
   Among the ways you can support PSF is with a donation.
       http://www.python.org/psf/donations/

   The Summary of Python Tracker Issues is an automatically generated
   report summarizing new bugs, closed ones, and patch submissions.
       http://search.gmane.org/?author=status%40bugs.python.org&group=gmane.comp.python.devel&sort=date

   nullege is an interesting search Web application, with the
intelligence
   to distinguish between Python code and comments.  It provides what
   appear to be relevant results, and demands neither Java nor CSS be
   enabled:
       http://www.nullege.com

   Although unmaintained since 2002, the Cetus collection of Python
   hyperlinks retains a few gems.
       http://www.cetus-links.org/oo_python.html

   Python FAQTS
       http://python.faqts.com/

   The Cookbook is a collaborative effort to capture useful and
   interesting recipes.
       http://code.activestate.com/recipes/langs/python/

   Many Python conferences around the world are in preparation.
   Watch this space for links to them.

   Among several Python-oriented RSS/RDF feeds available, see:
       http://www.python.org/channews.rdf
   For more, see:
       http://www.syndic8.com/feedlist.php?ShowMatch=python&ShowStatus=all
   The old Python "To-Do List" now lives principally in a
   SourceForge reincarnation.
       http://sourceforge.net/tracker/?atid=355470&group_id=5470&func=browse
       http://www.python.org/dev/peps/pep-0042/

   del.icio.us presents an intriguing approach to reference
commentary.
   It already aggregates quite a bit of Python intelligence.
       http://del.icio.us/tag/python

   Enjoy the *Python Magazine*.
       http://pymag.phparch.com/

   *Py: the Journal of the Python Language*
       http://www.pyzine.com

   Dr.Dobb's Portal is another source of Python news and articles:
       http://www.ddj.com/TechSearch/searchResults.jhtml?queryText=python
   and Python articles regularly appear at IBM DeveloperWorks:
       http://www.ibm.com/developerworks/search/searchResults.jsp?searchSite=dW&searchScope=dW&encodedQuery=python&rankprofile=8

Previous - (U)se the (R)esource, (L)uke! - messages are listed here:
 http://search.gmane.org/?query=python+URL+weekly+news+links&group=gmane.comp.python.general&sort=date
 http://groups.google.com/groups/search?q=Python-URL!+group%3Acomp.lang.python&start=0&scoring=d&
 http://lwn.net/Search/DoSearch?words=python-url&ctype3=yes&cat_25=yes

There is *not* an RSS for "Python-URL!"--at least not yet.  Arguments
for and against are occasionally entertained.


Suggestions/corrections for next week's posting are always welcome.
E-mail to <Python-URL at phaseit.net> should get through.

To receive a new issue of this posting in e-mail each Monday morning
(approximately), ask <claird at phaseit.net> to subscribe.  Mention
"Python-URL!".  Write to the same address to unsubscribe.


-- The Python-URL! Team--

Phaseit, Inc. (http://phaseit.net) is pleased to participate in and
sponsor the "Python-URL!" project.  Watch this space for upcoming
news about posting archives.