python-for-humans/2_problem/0_problem.md

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Part II: Beginnings

So, let's say we're new to Python.

Let's get started!

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Step 1: Pick a Release.

Pick carefully.

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Step 2: Install Python.

Decisions, decisions.

• Download installer from python.org?
• 32bit or 64bit?
• Build from source?
• If so, Unix or framework build?

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Step 3: Profit!

Let's play around. Maybe play with the GitHub API?

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Ruby.

@@@ ruby
require 'net/http'
require 'uri'

uri = URI.parse('https://api.github.com/user')

http = Net::HTTP.new(uri.host, uri.port)
http.use_ssl = true

req = Net::HTTP::Get.new(uri.request_uri)
req.basic_auth('username', 'password')

r = http.request(req)

puts r

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http/url/lib/2

• Extremely unclear why there are so many modules.
• Search implies urllib2.
• Let's give this a shot...

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http/url/lib/2

• Which module to use?
• Worst API ever.
• An extremely common use case.
• I'd rather be writing ColdFusion™.

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XML

• etree is terrible.
• lxml is awesome, but difficult to install.

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File and System Operations

• sys | shutils | os | os.path | io
• Really difficult to run external commands.
• This blocks dev+ops folks from adopting Python.

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Packaging and Depdencies

• pip or easy install?
• setuptools isn't included with python? Distribute?
• No easy_uninstall?
• Broken setup.pys
• "Released" packages not in the Cheeseshop

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Date[time]s.

• Which module to use?
• Timezones
• The stdlib can generate but not parse ISO8601 dates

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Unicode.

• LOLWUT

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Testing.

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Installing Dependencies

• Pip? Virtualenv? Never mentioned in the docs.
• python-mysql
• mod_wsgi

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Integration Time

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PIL

(On OSX, this is simple)