[Edu-sig] Python as a first language for computer sciencist

[Beni Cherniavsky]

On Tue, 2005-10-18 at 15:31 -0500, Brad Miller wrote:
> I have not told them about Jython, mainly because my own impression  
> was that Jython was not really going anywhere.  I tried a couple of  
> simple graphics programs that didn't work....
> 
> After reading your message I went to www.jython.org and I still get  
> mixed signals about whats happening.  Apparently there is a new alpha  
> release of Jython 2.2, but the Wiki is broken, the developer blog  
> comes up blank.  I don't see any plans about making Jython compatible  
> with Python 2.4.x....
> 
> If it does turn out that Jython becomes a thriving, active version of  
> Python then I think it would be very interesting to investigate.   
> Have you used Jython?  What has been your experience?  Maybe others  
> are more in the know about the future prospects of Jython?
> 
I didn't use Jython myself (beyond checking that 2+3 works) for lack of
need.  Some months ago a co-worker asked me for advice on metaclasses in
Jython, which didn't work as they do inCPython 2.2+.  After meditating
on the code for 2-3 weeks, I came up with the right 2-line fix -- the
worst lines/time ratio [1] in my life I suppose -- but one of the more
enlightening [2].  During my study, that file was heavily updated to
implement new-style classes in Jython's CVS and the problem was fixed
independently :-).

[1] "if we wish to count lines of code, we should not regard them as 
    "lines produced" but as "lines spent"" -- E.W.Dijksta
[2] Jython is quite mind-bending: turns out you can introspect the 
    Jython implementation from the Jython prompt!  This is possible 
    because Java has introspection and Jython transparently access it 
    when doing things like dir().

I don't know what's up with the site not being updated, wiki and blog
down, etc...  The last I see is the alpha release in the blog's cache
http://216.239.59.104/search?q=cache%3Ahttp%3A%2F%2Fwww.ziclix.com%
2Fbzimmer%2F