[EuroPython] Random Interview: Wesley Chun

[info at pycon.it]

We have selected some speakers through random.choice() to be featured on the
EuroPython 2011 blog! Today we introduce you Wesley Chun!

### What's your name and what do you do?


My name is Wesley Chun. By day, i'm a Developer Advocate at Google
representing all of our cloud technologies like Google App Engine.


After work, I'm a Python advocate, having used Python for 15 years, writing 3
Python books, and teaching numerous Python training courses.


### How did you start using Python?


I first learned Python early in 1997 at a small company called Four11. We
built the web's second web-based email system. it was called  RocketMail, but
most people know it by its name after our acquisition by Yahoo! yes, it was
and is still called Yahoo!Mail today!


### Name one Python feature you wouldn't live without.


The interactive interpreter is an invaluable tool, whether you learned Python
1.4 back in 1997 or Python 3.2 today. it also doesn't matter  whether you use
the standard one that comes with Python or newer and more advanced shells like
IPython and bpython.


### What is your talk/training about?


I'm giving 5 talks at EuroPython this year! i wasn't sure how popular the
talks were going to be, and i submitted a total of 7 talks this year with the
hope that one of them gets accepted!


**Writing Books using Python & Open Source Software** - this talk is about how
the tools we use to write applications can also be used for  authors to create
books with.


**Python 3: the Next Generation (is here already)** - Python 3 has been out
for 2.5 years now, but most of the world still runs on Python 2. Why, and when
will adoption of Python 3 be complete?


**Using Python in Software for the Medical Industry** - this talk is based on
the experiences i had years ago writing software for doctors. yes, Python can
be used for apps to help analyze patients with spinal fractures.


**Python 103: Mmmm... Understanding Python's Memory Model, Mutability, and
Methods** - let's say you've coded Python for 1-3 years now. you know the
syntax and can make your way around. however, there is still code out there
that puzzles you, code that *seems* absolutely correct but still doesn't do
exactly what you want. we try to reveal the secrets here.


**What is Google App Engine?** - many people still have not heard about this
revolutionary cloud-based application development and hosting platform. this
talk gives a quick intro to cloud computing and where App Engine fits into
this new way of thinking.


### Tease us with one secret that will be revealed during your talk/training


In the writing books talk, i'll reveal the tools the 3 authors used to write
the book, "Python Web Development with Django"


### Name another talk you wouldn't miss in the same track on the same day, and
why.


This one is hard. because i'm giving so many talks, this takes away from the
time for me *going* to talks. however, I wouldn't miss the keynotes by [Alex
Martelli][1] and [Raymond Hettinger][2].


### Name another training that you wouldn't miss at EuroPython.


I would love to attend [Raymond's advanced python training][3], or the
[functional programming one][4] or [the one on MongoDB][5].


### What would you tell someone who is still in doubt whether to register to
EuroPython or not?


This is the biggest Python event in Europe, so you *shouldn't* miss it. the
fact that it is in Florence makes that even *more* so! :-)


## Next Interview Online: May 24th.

   [1]: http://ep2011.europython.eu/conference/talks/good-api-design

   [2]: http://ep2011.europython.eu/conference/talks/what-makes-python-so-
awesome

   [3]: http://ep2011.europython.eu/conference/talks/advanced-python

   [4]: http://ep2011.europython.eu/conference/talks/functional-programming-
with-python

   [5]: http://ep2011.europython.eu/conference/talks/python-and-mongodb-a
-perfect-match-an-introduction-to-mongodb

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