Python Programming

Python - I finally fell truly in love when I met you in 2006, where have you been? If only my instructor introduced me to you earlier instead of those ugly girls called QBasic, Fotran, Pascal. C looked kind of pretty, she was always smiling. Java was a strict babe with a label "You must do it my way". But then you came along and swept me off my feet.

Python is a powerful yet easy to use programming language developed by Guido van Rossum, first released over a decade ago in 1991. With Python, you can quickly write a small project. But Python also scales up nicely and can be used for mission-critical, commercial applications.

Python doesn't offer revolutionary new features. Rather, it combines many of the best design principles and ideas from many different programming languages. It's simple and powerful. More than any other language, it gets out of the way so that you can think about the problem, not the language. Programming in Python just feels right.

So, what's the big deal about python as compared to other languages.

1. Python is freaking easy to use - The major goal of any programming language is to bridge the gap between the programmer's brain and the computer. Most of the popular languages you've probably heard of, like C, C++, C#, and Java, are considered high-level languages, which means that they're closer to human language than machine language. And they are. But Python, with its clear and simple rules, is even closer to English than any of these. Creating Python programming is so straightforward that it's been called "programming at the speed of thought."

Python's ease of use translates into productivity for professional programmers. Python programs are shorter and take less time to create than programs in many other popular languages. In fact, Python programs are typically 3 to 5 times shorter than equivalent Java programs, and often 5 to 10 times shorter than equivalent C++ programs. There's even some evidence to suggest that a single Python programmer can finish in two months what takes two C++ programmers more than a year to complete.

2. Python is POWERFUL - Python is powerful enough to attract hundreds of thousands of programmers from around the world as well as companies such as Google, Hewlett-Packard, IBM, Industrial Light + Magic, Microsoft, NASA, Red Hat, Verizon, Xerox, and Yahoo!. Python is also used as a tool by professional game programmers. Activision, Electronic Arts, and Infogrames all publish games that incorporate Python.

3. Python Is Object-Oriented - OOP is basically a shift in the way programmers think about solving problems with computers. It embodies an intuitive way of representing information and actions in a program. It's not the only way to write programs, but for most large projects, it's the way to go.

Languages like C#, Java, and Python are all object-oriented. But Python does them one better. In C# and Java, OOP is not optional. This makes short programs unnecessarily complex, and it requires a bunch of explanation before a new programmer can do anything significant. Python takes a different approach. In Python, using OOP techniques is optional. You have all of OOP's power at your disposal, but you can use it when you need it. Got a short program that doesn't really require OOP? No problem. Got a large project with a team of programmers that demands OOP? That'll work too. Python gives you power and flexibility.

4. Python Is a "Glue" Language - Python can be integrated with other languages such as C, C++, and Java. This means that a programmer can take advantage of work already done in another language while using Python. It also means that he or she can leverage the strengths of other languages, such as the extra speed that C or C++ can offer, while still enjoying the ease of development that's a hallmark of Python programming. Python can call native codes in other languages and receive output back, gosh - it's sweet.

5. Python Runs Everywhere - SO, your Computer instructor told you only java is platform independent eh?, well, he lied!, . Python runs on everything from a Palm to a Cray. And if you don't happen to have a supercomputer in the den, you can still run Python on Windows, DOS, Macintosh®, or Linux machines. And that's just the top of the list. Python can run on practically every operating system in existence.

Python programs are platform independent, which means that regardless of the operating system you use to create your program, it'll run on any other computer with Python. So if you write a game on your PC, you can e-mail a copy to your friend who runs Linux or to your aunt who has a Mac, and the program will work (as long as your friend and Aunt have Python on their computers).

6. Python Has a Strong Community - You will be amazed at the number of people and companies that use python i.e. google, yahoo and even plain old microsh$t.

7. Python Is Free and Open Source - Python is free. You can install it on your computer and never pay a penny. But Python's license lets you do much more than that. You can copy or modify Python. You can even resell Python if you want (but don't quit your day job just yet). Embracing open-source ideals like this is part of what makes Python so popular and successful.