Where can I find info on using Python w/ Windows Scripting Ho st

[Alex Martelli]

Ed writes:

> Where can I get info on Python for use under Windows? I am especially
> interested in a version that can run under the Windows Scripting Host.
> 
Download Python and PythonWin (aka windows extensions) from
www.python.org, and you'll get excellent documentation and
information accompanying it; I believe the version you get this
way is also fully Active-Scripting compliant (to the point of also
being able to HOST other Active-Scripting compliant languages,
which I believe is a unique feat!-).

There's a book on Python for Win32 programming coming out
in January, I believe (I have it on hold at Amazon...), and it
should be very good from what I hear.

Meanwhile, the book "Learning Python", published by
O'Reilly, is a great buy.


> I am evaluating various scripting languages for use on the Windows
> platform.  I expect we will end making VBScript the company standard
> but I wanted to evaluate Python and TCL/TKL as well.
> 
Speaking as one very experienced in VBScript, reasonably
experienced in Tcl, and a Python newbie -- Tcl is an order
of magnitude more usable and productive than VBScript,
and Python is at least an order of magnitude more powerful
than Tcl.

Perl is the scripting language I currently know best, and
the original reason I started looking into Python is that it
integrates SO much better with Windows, despite all the
funding that ActiveState gets from Microsoft to enhance
their Windows Perl port.  I was surprised to find out that
Python manages to deliver just about the same awesome
amount of power as Perl, while avoiding its defects and
particularly its notorious "steep learning curve" -- Python
is a language that I'd have no trouble recommending for
use in a first programming course for any kind of audience,
yet it STILL manages to be as powerful as anything.

As for, why is the Win32 port of Python so good -- well,
I assume it has something to do with the fact that the
porters are geniuses, of course:_), but given that the
people at ActiveState are far from slouches either, I
think that's another field where Python's outstanding
_cleanliness_ helped.


You may be just in time to save your company from
a lost opportunity (standardizing on VBScript would
be at least that:-)... by all means look into Python in
more depth!


Alex