Introduction to Python
(Python language overview with examples)
by
Jaroslav Gergic
BACKGROUND
- Python is a modern object-oriented general-purpose interpreted language
(BTW: the name was inspired by the Monty Python Flying Circus)
- Initially written as a component of the Amoeba operating system at CWI
by Guido van Rossum (Netherlands 1989)
- At 1991 - free distribution, since 1991 increasing popularity and growing
developer community.
- The recent version is 2.1.1 (Oct 16th 2001). Guido van Rossum still
remains as the ultimate arbiter of the core language and its
standard implementation.
- Python Software Foundation (PSF) (March 2001) owns the intellectual
rights to the Python 2.1 and newer. It hosts the python.org website and maintains the
Python core development.
