Re: [python-advocacy] Marketing Python - An Idea Whose Time Has Come

On Sat, Apr 29, 2006, Michael Tobis wrote:
>
> However, I am not now, and (though I'm not giving up yet) likely will
> never be a top-tier Python programmer.
>
> One big trouble as I see it is that Pythonistas, like most open
> source programmers, revere the most productive coders and undervalue
> many other skills. So the only people who would be able to exert
> "leadership" are the people (like Guido himslef) whom we'd rather have
> doing other things, and the people who have the appropriate skill set
> to be "leaders" are not likely to get the permission to lead by the
> community.

>From my POV, that's simply untrue.  Now, perhaps I have a biased
perspective because I see how much better other people are at programming
than I am, but the fact is that after more than six years of active
involvement in the Python community, I'm just now uploading my first real
patch.

Nevertheless, because I understand Python and can channel Guido with
reasonable success, and more importantly because I do a fair bit to
support the community (such as keeping up the web site and moderating
c.l.py.announce), I think that people tend to respect my opinions.  Like
many volunteer organizations, the Python community respects those who
contribute, and code contributions are far from the only way to gain
respect, even if that's often the fastest path.
-- 
Aahz ([email protected])           <*>         http://www.pythoncraft.com/

"Argue for your limitations, and sure enough they're yours."  --Richard Bach