Calling for Python Writers/Authors

For those who write books and articles, I've established a wiki page just as we already have a page for those who offer training services for Python. If you would like to be reachable by those needing writing services of various kinds, please add yourself to the list, along with some indication of what you prefer to work on, your portfolio of work and your experience level:

http://wiki.python.org/moin/PythonWriters

I'm open to creative ideas on how to format the information. A link to the page has been added to the sidebar menu.

Jeff Rush
Advocacy Coordinator

Calling Usergroup Organizers (and Wannabees)

We'd like to strengthen and raise the visibility of Python usergroups and foster the creation of new ones, by sharing the valuable experiences of those leaders around the community who make it happen.

1. One step is to make others more aware of what is already happening, perhaps in their own neighborhood re Python meetings. I've created a shared blog and invite organizers of existing groups to send me their email address to get privs to post to it.

   Because these postings will be distributed far and wide, a posting should be of interest to those who did not attend but are considering doing so, or that might be instructive to organizers in other cities. An overview of what was covered in a past meeting, or an announcement with substance on what an upcoming meeting is going to be about are good postings. A simple date and local address, or that the pizza was good last week, is not. ;-)

2. A second step is to encourage and support new organizers in forming groups in their area. There is a strong demand for such meetings, but many are uncertain how to go about it. Therefore I've created a new mailing list on which experienced and new organizers can share tips on getting started, whether about getting the word out, finding a place to meet or getting interesting speakers.

Those of us with a history of involvement in a usergroup often forget that many people have never attended a usergroup meeting, or lack experience in running one, so let's help strengthen this aspect of Python. We could use some videos or photos of group meetings as well, posted to youtube.com/flickr.com and the link emailed to me for use.

I'd also like to ask the existing, successful usergroups to spread the word about their efforts by being interviewed by Ron Stephens on Python411, and/or writing up an article on how your group got started for Tennessee Leeuwenburg of The Python Papers. Even a simple "what a typical meeting is like in my area" is helpful.

It would be especially interesting to see how usergroups operate in various countries around the world, and perhaps help bring together these regions.

In closing, for existing usergroups as well as new ones coming online, please update the entry for your group on the roster of Python usergroups.

Jeff Rush
Advocacy Coordinator

Seeking Four Code Samples for Forrester Research Survey

In working up a response to the survey being conducted by Forrester Research on dynamic languages, there is a section wherein they want to see code samples. The samples must include all code written for the example, and URLs to any frameworks or modules used.

Their objective is to see how efficient/elegant the language is for developers. This is one area in which Python should excel.

1. Render a simple Web page containing text, data, and graphics, as specified in this wireframe mockup. With the myriad number of web frameworks for Python, this is hard but let's pick those a few that are most expressive, as the person evaluating it may not be familiar with Python per se, but be looking for readability.
   
2. Invoke a simple Web service and format/display the results. This can be either web services or REST, whichever one looks cleanest.
   
3. Create a mash-up that overlays local temperature data onto a Google map.
4. Create a simple form for data submission with fields and drop down selects and a submit button, as specified in this wireframe mockup. At least one field should be validated.

To help our community's standing in the survey, and perhaps promotion of your favorite web framework, please consider picking one of these or providing a trimmed down example of existing code. Send it via private email to me, and I'll get it included in the survey response. Forrester's deadline to us is by the end of this week, May 18th.

Thanks,

Jeff Rush
Python Advocacy Coordinator

A Call for Professional Trainers of Python

I am seeking to organize the list of those, both individuals and companies, who offer training on Python and related frameworks and technologies.

This is for those who provide classes, typically to businesses, as part of their professional offerings, in order to provide an answer to Forrester Research. They are surveying the various dynamic programming languages and want to know, essentially, how easily can an IT manager get his people trained up on Python in comparison to other languages.

There is a wiki page at:

http://wiki.python.org/moin/PythonTraining

with some training organizations. If your information is already there and current, no response is necessary. But if you are not mentioned, please update that wiki page so we can get an accurate accounting and hopefully send business your way.

Thanks,

Jeff Rush
Python Advocacy Coordinator

Need Help in Preparing for Study of Python by Forrester Research

Forrester Research is doing a study on dynamic languages and has asked that Python be represented. As advocacy coordinator I've volunteered to drive this, collecting answers from the community and locating representatives to participate in interviews.

The goal of the study is to:

• identify the criteria to use for evaluating such languages
• identify the relevant choices of dynamic languages
• identify how the different dynamic languages stack up
• examine where dynamic languages work best

Initially, they'd like feedback (not yet the answers themselves) from us regarding their proposed evaluation criteria - questions to add or that give no value, rewording to make them more clear. I've posted their draft criteria, which came as a spreadsheet at:

http://dfwpython.org/uploads/Forrester/DynamicLanguagesCriteria--Draft.xls

Later, between May 8 and 25, the researchers will need to interview via 1-hour telephone calls, several developers with experience using Python. And they want to also interview one person with an executive viewpoint, able to describe relevant background, positioning, value proposition, customer base, and strategic vision.

And later they would also like snippets of Python code that illustrate the power of Python, and I hope to call upon community members to help in producing that. The snippets do not have to be originally written and can be pulled from existing projects.

But those steps come later. For now let's focus on analysis of the evaluation criteria at the above URL. Time is short as they'd like that feedback by May 3, so please get any responses to me as soon as possible. And be thinking who would best represent the executive view of Python in an interview.

Thanks for your help,

Jeff Rush
Advocacy Coordinator

A Pythonic Way to Measure and Improve Your Programming Skills?

Those who know me know I am no fan of the programmer certification industry and I agree that your typical certificate arrangement, e.g. to show HR to get that box checked in your candidate file, so a company can skip responsibility in vetting a candidate, is un-Pythonic. However, I do think we need a good answer to the engineering manager or team leader who asks, "how do I know this person knows Python?", and to the candidate who thinks, "I believe I'm good at Python but am I as good as I think?".

The first case primarily cares about the reputation of the testing facility within the industry, so that if they choose wrong, they are absolved of blame. The latter two are often honestly looking for some guidance on bringing good people in-house or to step-up their programming skills.

As Python use spreads, it becomes more important for the community to provide benchmarks for measuring skill levels, to avoid Python being relegated to the, respectfully, lightweight programmer category e.g. PHP or perhaps Ruby on Rails (not Ruby itself).

Prior to PyCon I'd been thinking about some kind of campaign, service or documents, that I call "So you think you know Python...". My initial idea was for use by Python programmers, who are honest with themselves, to have a way to measure their knowledge. We all run into or are programmers who think they are hot-stuff, especially those of us who work solo as many in our community do, but when put side-by-side against others, fall a bit short. PyCon can have that effect, with so many smart people in a small area. ;-) But the objective isn't to denegrate these programmers but to provide a measuring stick, along with an educational roadmap, so they can make wise choices.

The rapid growth in use of Python is going to lead to a shortage in Python programmers, unless we manage the supply side as well. The manager wanting to find and hire good Python programmers is not an adversary seeking to use certificates to commoditize our community, but an ally in helping us get industry respect and career opportunities using our favorite language. We need to behind what he asks for to see what he needs.

I've been carefully watching Crunchy, about which a talk was given at PyCon, for writing tutorials that, with its "doctests" feature, could be used to propose tests that pass and require a candidate to write an acceptable program. This week I was prototyping a "rst2crunchy" tool, that let's you write Crunchy scripts in reStructured Text, rather than HTML. Crunchy needs more features, such as a user login facility and measurement facilities to store test submissions for review by experienced Python programmers after they pass. From what I hear on the edu-sig list, André Roberge and Johannes Woolard are tackling these but could use more help. Johannes in particular was a student for Google's Summer of Code 2006 and I believe is looking for sponsorship for 2007.

But perhaps Crunchy is not the ready answer in this case, so I'm looking for suggestions.

With regard to how a manager can know a person is good at Python, besides looking at their portfolio of work, we could stake out conceptual areas of the language or libraries about which a programmer should be conversant. This might be a document, with example questions but carefully focused on what lies behind those questions, so an interviewer can come up with his own questions and avoid rote memorization. This conceptual map could also eventually form the basis of advanced-placement in schools that goes beyond those terrible Visual BASIC test questions. And for the Python programmer who wonders if his knowledge is broad enough and wants to improve him or herself, the conceptual map could have links/recommendations to training materials on specific topics.

Join me on the advocacy list and let's discuss this further.

Jeff Rush
Python Advocacy Coordinator

Personal Schedule Application for PyCon 2007 Now Available

Doug Napoleone's really cool Personal Schedule Application is now up and running on the PyCon site.

Features include:

• displays a color-coded, up-to-date schedule
• displays pop-ups with descriptive information about each event
• allows selecting events to create your own personal schedule
• supports iCalendar output of both conference and personal schedules

If you have a PyCon login account, the application also:

• stores your schedule on the server instead of in a cookie.
• highlights talks that you're presenting or sessions you're chairing.

If you store your schedule on the server, your selections are included and summarized in a report for the PyCon organizers. We can therefore see which talks are the most popular, and this will help us schedule them in rooms with enough capacity.

A print-specific stylesheet is in development.

We think the schedule application is very neat, and hope it's useful in planning your PyCon attendance.

To easily create your own PyCon login account, visit the Site Signup Form, which is independent of your conference registration.

And speaking of your conference registration, if you haven't yet registered, the deadline for early bird registration is approaching fast - January 15th. We have some really great tutorials with limited seating so sign up for your favorites today or you might miss out.