Python Support

What is Python?
Python is an increasingly popular programming language for mastering the complexities of modern software development. Python's strength is its domain of applicability from short scripts and macros to large, object-oriented systems. Python is used today in cutting-edge applications such as:

Google and Infoseek search engines,
Hewlett-Packard e-speak electronic business framework,
Red Hat "Anaconda" installation program,
Digital Creations "Zope" web application server.
Alice virtual reality environment
KOffice office tools suite

Python encourages a clean, consistent and readable coding style that makes large team programming easier. Python's readability allows new programmers to get up-to-speed with Python in hours, not weeks. Strong text processing and rich object oriented features make it easy to integrate legacy systems with today's leading distributed object technologies such as SOAP, COM, CORBA, Enterprise Java Beans and soon Microsoft's .NET.

Python supports features appropriate for developing large applications. These include exceptions, object orientation, modules and packages. Python also supports a rapid development model appropriate for small applications. Python's interactive prompt allows you to test your Python scripts and modules interactively. Python is often used to provide scripting, macro and test functionality to applications written in other languages. Benefits that Python provides to a programmer include:

sophisticated string and list processing
support for large scale, multi-threaded, object oriented programming
compliance with major Internet standard protocols
built-in XML and DOM libraries
embeddable in C, C++ and Java applications
large, rich standard library
interactive code testing environment
easy to learn
rapid user interface development libraries

As an open source language, Python's source code is freely available and there are hundreds of free Python libraries and extensions available on the Internet.