Python Evangelism

[Andrew Gwozdziewycz]

On 3/9/06, rtilley <rtilley at vt.edu> wrote:

> > Doug Bromley wrote:
> >> I can see Ruby overtaking Python if we don't ALL do something about it.
>
> I think it's the name. Python. Let's change it to something nicer. Think
> about it... if you found a Ruby, you'd pick it up and put it in your
> pocket. If you ran across a Python, you'd run away.

Woah, are you actually serious? What would changing the name of language you're
trying to market do for the marketing campaign? New to the YAMMA language? Check
out all these other Python tutorials to get started. I don't think
it's the name, I think the
major problem is people saying, "What can we do to market it?" and not
actually doing
anything, as Steven just said. Work on something. Create something popular. Heck
promote django or some other framework. Work on some new innovative technology
in python! Just choose python and recommend it to others. Word of mouth, Quality
projects and not claiming "we need new marketing strategies" _IS_ the
best marketing
strategy.

> Gems is nice too. Compare that to Cheese Shop... who came up with that
> :) Do you want a pretty gem stone or a smelly slice of cheese? I mean
> that in a literal sense. I don't think Python is smelly at all, but it
> certainly has chosen some slimy, smelly bad names for itself!

While I agree, that gem is nice and python needs a new standard
package management
system, maybe that's your contribution! Build it! Make it awesome!

> Psychology is important. Just as important as good design. I think this
> fact doesn't sink in to the Python community.

Pyschology _is_ important, but not in this case. Make good products
and they will
come. Python has a ton of good projects and a ton of users. What we
don't have is
ruby on rails and the web 2.0 crowd, and I say, who the hell cares? We
have everything
else.

--
Andrew Gwozdziewycz <apgwoz at gmail.com>
http://ihadagreatview.org
http://plasticandroid.org