Re: Open Source Ref book

On Wednesday 03 March 2004 08:06 am, A.M. Kuchling wrote:
> Is someone going to ensure that Python (or perhaps the PSF) is listed
> in this?

 <[email protected]> is compiling a list of the projects from the book 
database that reference Python. He said there are 1500 entries in the 
database. 

> http://www.egovos.org/Book
>
> Whatever happened to the idea of Python presence at the eGov conference,
> anyway?

The conference agenda is at http://www.egovos.org/Conferences/Agenda

There seems to be a perception that discussing a language would be off topic, 
or too low level for the meeting. (I guess they need to read Paul Graham's 
paper on "Revenge of the Nerds" to see why language choice matters.) The best 
fit for Python at this conference would probably be in the session on "Open 
Source in Higher Education". 

The resistance to having Python presented at conferences such as this one 
suggests that we aren't projecting the right message. Why aren't managers 
interested in learning about Python? (Paul Graham's sums up the errors 
managers make in selecting technology.) Most likely they don't think that 
this low level detail has a significant impact on the bottom line. 

Python needs a marketing message that does a better job of highlighting bottom 
line reasons for using Python. Stating that Python takes 1/2 to 1/5 the code 
of Java doesn't seem to matter. It doesn't make sense that it would take less 
code if you are a manager that believe all programming languages are about 
the same. Perhaps using an analogy would help them understand how this is 
possible. Using Python instead of Java or C# is the same kind of technology 
move as moving from using a hierarchical database to using an SQL database. 
The move to SQL was a move up the abstraction ladder to reduces maintenance 
costs. SQL only became a financially attractive alternative once hardware 
costs dropped in the 1970s. Can cheap gigahetz processors be used as a 
justification to switch to Python?

A second bottom line impact of choosing Python is the standard component 
library that comes with the language. Instead of pushing Python as a 
language, perhaps it needs to be sold as a software integration middleware 
with a rich component library and a high level, vendor neutral integration 
language.  It is the library that distinguishes Python from an alternative 
languages like Ruby. 

A third unique feature of Python is ease of learning. Python has become a 
preferred language for non-programmers who need to write software. It is the 
Visual Basic of the open source world. 



While Python currently isn't on the conference agenda, Python has been given a 
seat on the Government Open Source Advisory Committee (GOSAC). IIRC the 
committee is to be announced at the conference. Here's a preliminary list of 
advisory committee members. 

For the Debian Chair

 Martin Michlmayr [email protected]
 Bdale Garbee [email protected]

For the JBoss Chair

 Ben Sabrin [email protected]
 Marc Fleury [email protected]

For the Apache Chair

 Brian Behlendorf [email protected]

For the OpenOffice Chair

 Louis Suarez-Potts [email protected]

For the Mozilla Chair

 Mitchell Baker Mitchell-6zGkXsw2EZWGJGYlWa3Ukdi2O/[email protected]

For the GNOME Chair

 Miguel de Icaza [email protected]
 Nat Friedman [email protected]

For the MYSQL Chair

 David Axmark [email protected]

For the PostgreSQL Chair

 Bruce Momjian [email protected]
 Jan Weick [email protected]

For the Python Chair

 Michael McLay [email protected]

For the Sendmail Chair

 Eric Allman eric-9dLn9547GH9Wk0Htik3J/[email protected]

For the SNORT Chair

 Martin Roesch [email protected]

For the SELinux Chair

 Tony Stanco [email protected]

For the X-Org Chair

 Leon Shiman [email protected]
 Kaleb Keithley [email protected]

For the ReiserFS Chair

 Hans Reiser [email protected]

At-Large Advisory Members

 Bruce Perens bruce-Dp076HI/[email protected]
 Jeffrey Bates [email protected]
 Robin Miller [email protected]
 Scott McNeil mcneil-i3Vhvn7ZhtRyW0uyUquXMti2O/[email protected]
 Janina Sajka [email protected]
 Terry Bollinger [email protected]
 David A. Wheeler dwheeler-OyCmK+MLziRWk0Htik3J/[email protected]