python is going to die! =(

[Jeremy Jones]

Andrew Dalke wrote:

> bruno modulix wrote:
>
>> Well, you forgot emacs, the best Python IDE around - and it's free...
>
>
> Speaking of which, is there any way to get tab-completion
> (intellisense?) behaviour in emacs?  Or in the interactive
> interpreter?
>
>                 Andrew
>                 dalke at dalkescientific.com

Well, it's not emacs nor is it the standard Python interactive 
interpreter, but IPython has tab-completion.  From the main IPython site 
(http://ipython.scipy.org/):

Completion in the local namespace, by typing TAB at the prompt. This 
works for keywords, methods, variables and files in the current 
directory. This is supported via the readline library, and full access 
to configuring readline's behavior is provided.

I've started trying to use it.  It's got a different "feel" from the 
standard interpreter - may be nothing more than the default prompts, but 
it's got some nice features.  I'm going to invest some time using it and 
see if it is a good fit for me.

To the point of the rant, I've found myself very productive with just 
gvim and the standard Python interactive interpreter (and now trying 
IPython).  I've tried several different editors/IDEs (Eclipse, JEdit, 
Ultra-Edit, emacs maybe a few others) and have found myself most 
productive with gvim.  And I don't think I'm one of the old farts just 
yet - only 31 and only been programming for a few years now.   Anyhow, I 
don't think that the tools make or break the language - at least when 
you've got a great language like Python.  Maybe you _need_ a boat load 
of tools when you have a deficiency in the language - like Java (which I 
have programmed in a little and I presume in C# which I have never 
programmed in).  Anyway, just my $.02 worth.


Jeremy Jones