R.A.W.: Happy New Year!

Happy New Year! · 16. January 2005, 16:38

This is just a short post to say that I’m still around but busier than ever. In keeping with the rest of my weblog though I won’t be writing any more than that!

Python

2005 is also shaping up to be quite a year in the Python world. Current major discussions about the language were sparked off by the BDFL himself. The series of articles comprise his thoughts surrounding static typing. The articles are available on his weblog at artima:

My own feelings on static typing are mixed. There are definitely use cases supporting the introduction of static typing to the language.

A big concern that people have voiced is that Python’s growing popularity means that it every day it is attracting a growing number of developers who consider static typing necessary. Up until now they have been obliged to omit it if they wanted to use the language. There is a serious risk that some of these people may revert to type, if you’ll excuse the pun, and begin to include it simply becase they can. I would also see a further risk that Python may attract even more people to the language with the addition of static typing – people who have no intention of ever writing untyped code and whose only previous objection was the inability to add types.

It is also my opinion this is certainly one of the biggest risks with Guido’s proposal. I think the only way this can be overcome is by having many good solid Pythonic libraries available that demonstrate the power and flexibility of Python without the necessity of declaring variable types. There are many good such libraries available already, among them the effbot’s (aka Frederik Lundh) ElementTree stands out as a shining example in my opinion. Are there enough good libraries out there? Are there enough good people who understand Python enough to argue the case for untyped code? I don’t know but if static typing is introduced, I certainly hope so.

Mobile Python

Nokia have announced support for Python on their mobile phones. I had previously tried Java programming for Nokia phones but found it a cumbersome experience. The fact that I was not using Java elsewhere provided me with little incentive to start using it for just one project at home. In 2005 I’d really like to try writing some mobile applications in Python that I have ideas for.

I have a Nokia 7650 I think the interpreter will probably work there but until I can get Windows XP SP2 to cooperate with my MSI BToes USB bluetooth adaptor again my mobile is locked out from my computer. More on all this if everything ever works again.

Pyblosxom

Staying on the Python front but moving to a projet that interests me greatly, Pyblosxom has seen major progress over the time I have been MIA.

The first of these developments is hiding behind the link to Pyblosxom Will Guaraldi has put together a fantastic central site for all things Pyblosxom related.

The level of activity surrounding the project has also picked up with several new contributors. Unfortunately my time for pyblosxom in 2005 will be small – my priorities shifted dramatically in late 2004. That is not to say that I will be doing nothing though. I still download the CVS code and watch changes on the checkins list but I think my core contributions are going to be few this year and only when a free time slot appears.

My biggest project for pyblosxom this year is going to be working on a new web based administration system. Don’t expect to see this too soon but here is an outline of what I’d like it to do:

it should be written in pyblosxom
accessed via an intercepted URL (the admin directory will not appear on your category tree on your weblog page), e.g. http://.../blog/admin/
change the rootdatadir will be changed and the page will still be in the style of your weblog but will allow adminstration of the weblog. Because the administration will be running with the configuration settings of the weblog under administration all the config settings will be easily accessible for modification.
have the category tree allow access to different areas of administration
have the entries in these categories implement functionality specific to that category.
have plugins that will intercept the URL and fill in template variables specific to the entry in use (this way the plugins aren’t producing vast numbers of form variables unnecessarily on every request to the weblog.

Initially my major goal is to allow inserting/editing/deleting entries, future functionality may include:

categories with entries for changing specific plugin behaviour
an entry that allows changing of most
an entry that allows uploading plugins and enabling/disabling them.

If this all works it may become possible for future plugin authors to include an admin entry form that will be dropped into one of the categories on the administration page and a callback function that is executed when that entry is being shown.

One of the biggest issues I am still unsure about is security although I think most likely a .htacess rule limiting access to the admin directory should be sufficient.

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