Trying to choose between python and java

[Terry Reedy]

"Anthony Irwin" <nospam at noemailhere.nowhere> wrote in message 
news:f2bghg$4q0$1 at news-01.bur.connect.com.au...
| #2 What database do people recommend for using with python that is
| easy to distribute across linux, mac, windows.

Check out the sqlite3 module.  (But I have not used it yet).

| #5 someone said that they used to use python but stopped because the
| language changed or made stuff depreciated (I can fully remember
| which) and old code stopped working. Is code written today likely to
| still work in 5+ years or do they depreciate stuff and you have to 
update?

Most versions of Python are still available.  You are free to use and 
distribute your copies indefinitely.  Several older versions are still in 
use.

Recent releases have added features but removed very little except bugs. 
Unfortunately, bug removal sometimes breaks code.  And feature additions 
occasionally introduce bugs or otherwise break code, but that is why there 
are alpha, beta, and candidate releases before a final release.

Python3 will remove many things at once.  A conversion tool is being 
written.  And there is no expectation that production code should be 
immediately converted, if ever.

Terry Jan Reedy