Text processing for a non-programmer

[Aahz Maruch]

In article <TdsX4.12$zT4.3106 at news3.dion.ne.jp>,
S D G <colin at doco.net.this_part_is.invalid> wrote:
>
>I'm a tech writer with practically no programming experience, but 
>I'm interested in learning programming so as to be able to write 
>some text manipulation programs.  It seems like Python would be a 
>good language to start with :)
>
>As a starting project, I'd like to write something that will format 
>my usenet followups nicely.
>
>Something like: Leave all the headers alone Wrap unquoted lines at 
>the 65th column If quoted lines are longer than 80 characters, wrap 
>them
>
>Has anybody got a similar python script that I can use as a starting 
>point.  I learn best by hacking examples :)

Hmmm....  There's a C program called 'par' that does this, but what
you're asking to do is actually a pretty tricky problem.  I think you'd
be better off finding a simpler first project.
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