Python Open source programming language

Introduction 

Python is a programming language that lets you work more quickly and integrate your systems more effectively. Learning to use Python can result in immediate gains in productivity and lower maintenance costs.

Python runs on Windows, Linux/Unix, Mac OS X, and has been ported to the Java and .NET virtual machines.

Python is free to use, even for commercial products, because of its OSI-approved open source license.

Python is a remarkably powerful dynamic programming language that is used in a wide variety of application domains. Python is often compared to Tcl, Perl, Ruby, Scheme or Java. Some of its key distinguishing features include:

• clear and easy to read syntax
• easier debugging
• object oriented programming language 
• modular programming language
• supports exception handling
• very high level dynamic data types 
• extensive standard libraries and third party modules for virtually every task 
• extensions and modules easily written in C, C++ (or Java for Jython, or .NET languages for IronPython) 
• embeddable within applications as a scripting interface 

Python is powerful... and fast

Python lets you write the code you need, quickly. And, thanks to a highly optimized byte compiler and support libraries, Python code runs more than fast enough for most applications. The traditional implementation of CPython uses a bytecode virtual machine; PyPy supports just-in-time (JIT) compilation to machine code. Also, Jython and IronPython (see below) support JIT compilation on their respective virtual machine implementations.

Python plays well with others

• Python can integrate with COM, .NET, and CORBA objects. 

• For Java libraries, use Jython, an implementation of Python for the Java Virtual Machine. 

• For .NET, try IronPython , Microsoft's new implementation of Python for .NET, or Python for .NET. 

• Python is also supported for the Internet Communications Engine (ICE) and many other integration technologies. 

Python runs everywhere 

Python is available for all major operating systems: Windows, Linux/Unix, OS/2, Mac, Amiga, among others. There are even versions that run on .NET and the Java virtual machine.


Python is friendly... and easy to learn

Python comes with complete documentation, both integrated into the language and as separate web pages. Online tutorials target both the seasoned programmer and the newcomer. All are designed to make you productive quickly. The availability of first-rate books completes the learning package.

Python is Open

The Python implementation is under an open source license that makes it freely usable and distributable, even for commercial use. The Python license is administered by the Python Software Foundation.


Development environments

Most Python implementations (including CPython) can function as a command line interpreter, for which the user enters statements sequentially and receives the results immediately. In short, Python acts as a shell.

Other shells add capabilities beyond those in the basic interpreter, including IDLE and IPython. While generally following the visual style of the Python shell, they implement features like auto-completion, retention of session state, and syntax highlighting.

In addition to standard desktop Python IDEs (integrated development environments), there are also browser-based IDEs, Sage, (intended for developing science and math-related Python programs), and a hosted IDE, pythonAnywhere.

You can read the next part Python application domains in real world.

mb.
Open Source World.

Read More

Do you really need to switch to open source?

That's the most important question we are answering in our web blog. Do we really need to switch to open source and free software? Lets have pros and cons of the chapter. Well, the open source world says "The human knowledge belongs to the world". Richard Stallman was once frustrated by the proprietary thing in software world, and started GNU. Gnu's Not Unix. Since then, the domain of open source world is increasing only. But there's always a positive and negative side of a thing. Lets look at the negative side first.

• Do you think efforts by hundreds of peoples, their time should be free? A simple stand alone software needs hundreds of men, working for hours to be completed. And its released free, that too with the assurance that anyone can modify it according to their needs and can share it with their friends without paying a penny. 
• The open source and free software start competing directly to the proprietary softwares in the market, thus affecting their sales and the efforts of those employees are then not evaluated exactly. 
• Does the 'availability' of source code really need to be there along with freedom to use and share? Why the already completed existing software need to be modified? 
• Source code availability of Linux is one of the factors of a large number of its distributions, which according to some, has affected negatively in competing to Microsoft Windows. 
• Its surely is not for new-bees. A not-so-technical people will find most of the open source thing difficult to handle.

Well in fact, the positive part of open source is almost the same as negative. Lets get to it. 

• Everything is free. Starting from a few kb's you tube down loader to even a full working operating system. 
• The loop holes, bugs and security failures are corrected in less time since the source code is available and all the interested programmers use up their brains to get rid of it. 
• Provides a platform to a geek to learn going through the original codes in which the software is written. 
• Everything is free. No need to buy softwares, games, drivers for your system to run. The overall software costs will may increase the overall hardware cost if you go by the paid software.
• Often, the software or even the Linux OS in itself is difficult to operate. But who the hell want it to be easy? 

Give your points in the comments. Lets have a healthy discussions. I know I missed many points. 
why Linux. have already been discussed in previous posts. 

mb.

open source world.

Read More