What is Python good for?

[Peter Hansen]

Ken Seehof wrote:
> 
> Some languages are exceptional at one thing and weak in others.
> Other languages are more general purpose.  Python is a general
> purpose language.  In fact, there really isn't any fancy trademark
> ooh-aah feature to set python apart.

I wonder whether Python is hands down the best "glue" language.

I've found Python highly effective (more so than anything
else I've tried or heard of) at:

 - calling other programs
 - text processing
 - calling DLLs (.so in *nix)
 - networking (sockets)
 - GUIs
 - automated testing
 - web stuff
 - specialized areas (e.g. numerical, XML)
 - probably half a dozen others I forget

With the vast range of Python's applicability, coupled
with its scalability, maintainability, and productivity,
I see Python as being very much "ooh-ahh" in terms of 
its ability to glue together all kinds of things with 
a single language and with clean results, in short order.

Does anything else come even close?

-- 
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Peter Hansen, P.Eng.
peter at engcorp.com