Why is Python Popular?

We dig into all things Python, which Allen thinks is pretty good, and it's rise in popularity, while Michael and Joe go toe-to-toe over a gripe, ahem, feature.

We realize that you _can_ use your podcast player to read these notes, but if you didn't know, this episode's show notes can be found at https://www.codingblocks.net/episode152. Check it out and join the conversation.

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Survey Says

What's your favorite Python feature?

Take the survey at: https://www.codingblocks.net/episode152.

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Why Python?

A Brief History of Python. Very Brief.

• Python is a general-purpose high-level programming language, which can be used to develop desktop GUI applications, websites, and apps that run on sophisticated algorithms.
• Python was created in 1991, before JavaScript or Java, but didn't make major leaps in popularity until 1998 – 2003, according to the Tiobe index.
  • Coincidentally, this lines up with the early days of Google, where they had a motto of "Python where we can, C++ where we must".
• In 2009, MIT switched from Scheme to Python, and others in academia followed.

Some Python Benefits, But Only Some

• It's an easy language for new developers as well as those who don't consider themselves developers, such as data scientists or hobbyists, but have a need write some code.
• Python has a great standard library when compared to languages like JavaScript that largely rely on third party libraries to provide depth in functionality.
• It's cross platform. As long as we're talking OS.
  • Mobile? Not really, as that space is consumed with Swift, Java, and Objective-C. But with things like Pythonista, you can write and execute Python on mobile.
  • Web? No, at least not on the client side. That space is dominated by JavaScript. But with frameworks like Django and Flask, you can use Python on the server side.
• In addition to the standard library, there are also many great/popular third party libraries, like N