Newbie Using "Programming Python" 1st Ed. Question

[Tyler Eaves]

Cameron Laird wrote:

> In article <upxL9.1024$c52.100456 at newsread1.prod.itd.earthlink.net>,
> Tyler Eaves  <tyler at cg1.org> wrote:
>>
>>
>>> I would like to use Python for simple Website automation.  I don't plan
>>> to open an on-line store, but if I could use it to automate forms and
>>> other
>>> things it would be nice.  I'm a little concerned about even going in
>>> this
>>> direction because the client side for Python is weak.  Everyone has
>>> installed the interpreters for VBScript and Javascript on Windows
>>> machines, but not everyone has Python installed especially in the
>>> windows world.
>>
>>That's of no importance. VBScript, Javascript, and (some) Java runs on the
>>client side. Python doesn't. Your webserver does all the work, the browser
>>justs gets data.
> 
> I believe mowestusa is saying something different,
> and certainly worthy of consideration.  He wants,
> if I understand correctly, to write little command-
> line utilities which extract information from Web
> sites and report back the temperature and wind
> reported at a particular latitude and longitude,
> or the current headlines at Slashdot, or the books
> he has checked out from his local library.  These
> are excellent tasks for Python, but he's quite
> right:  there is an issue sharing his work with
> others, for they might be unlikely to have Python
> installed.

When's the last time you used VBScript or javascript for server-side 
automation?