10 Years of Python for me
It’s been 10 years since I started working with python (www.python.org).
A brief anecdote
I started as a spirited fan of Perl. As a graduate student in Vanderbilt University, I was writing admin scripts for Linux boxes, experimenting with CGI, etc. One of my little projects was growing from a short manageable script into a something more substantial. Soon, I felt that Perl features and syntax were maintaining this project increasingly difficult. My enthusiasm for Perl steadily declined.
In my search for alternatives, I recalled an old post in comp.lang.parl extolling the virtues of a language called Python. I remembered the post as an rant about this strange language’s superiority (In reality that post was a modest announcement of Python 1.0, but as a perl fanatic I did not read it that way.) . Originally, I had dismissed the post and the language outright, and here I found myself installing Python out of desperation.
And then I discovered *that thing* about Python
Whitespace is important in Python. Coming from a C background this is just odd. One thing I enjoyed about Perl was its C-ness. I hated this part of Python! Again, out of frustration with Perl, I made myself try. Two days later, it was the most natural thing in the world.
NOTE: Using whitespace-sensitive content in a whitespace-insensitive world has caused a few problems occasionally (ASP pages, for example). But besides that, I’ve had nothing to complain about.
Did Python deliver on the promise?
Yes. Absolutely. It did then and it has continued to do so for 10 years.
By “it”, I mean these things:
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The language has evolved [1]
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Its standard library has evolved
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The Python community
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Pythons terrific support for Windows
I don’t believe it pays to be close-minded. I always try to explore new ways to solve my problems (different languages, tools, platforms). Every time I come back to three core elements of my toolbox: Windows [2], Python, and the .NET framework.
What do I use it for these days?
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Admin scripts
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Prototyping. Sometimes I later rewrite the prototypes in C#. More often, the prototypes stay in Python.
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Because Python looks like pseudo-code I sometimes embed python in my functional specs
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Small tools
My favorite Python quotes
Footnotes
[1] I have tried Perl several times in that decade, but haven’t found anything so compelling that I want to start using Perl again.
[2] Yes, I’m a true believer in our product. For the curious: I also use Mac OS X.
[3] Duck Typing: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duck_typing
