Archive-name: python-faq/python-newsgroup-faq Comp-lang-python-announce-archive-name: python-newsgroup-faq Comp-lang-python-archive-name: python-newsgroup-faq Posting-Frequency: biweekly Last-modified: 1998/08/20 Version: 1.4 Changes in 1.4: - now also cross-posting to comp.answers and news.answers > HOW TO post to comp.lang.python[.announce] < ------------------------------------------------ posted bi-weekly to comp.lang.python.announce, comp.lang.python, comp.answers, news.answers About Python ------------ From the Python FAQ: "Python is an interpreted, interactive, object-oriented programming language. It incorporates modules, exceptions, dynamic typing, very high level dynamic data types, and classes. Python combines remarkable power with very clear syntax. It has interfaces to many system calls and libraries, as well as to various window systems, and is extensible in C or C++. It is also usable as an extension language for applications that need a programmable interface. Finally, Python is portable: it runs on many brands of UNIX, on the Mac, and on PCs under MS-DOS, Windows, Windows NT, and OS/2. To find out more, the best thing to do is to start reading the tutorial from the documentation set at ." Example: "Hello World" in Python -------------------------------- The original task can be accomplished by a one-liner: print "Hello World!" Here is a longer example, a function that returns a string containing a series of multiple "Hello World!" greetings: def my_hello(how_often): retval = how_often * "Hello World! " # "multiply" string return retval[:-1] # strip off trailing space Usage: >>> my_hello(5) 'Hello World! Hello World! Hello World! Hello World! Hello World!' Note that block structure in Python is defined by indentation, rather than block delimiters (as used in many other programming languages such as Perl, Java and C/C++). comp.lang.python ---------------- comp.lang.python (or c.l.py for short) is the general discussion newsgroup for users of the Python language. It is also available as a mailing list; see below for instructions on subscribing to c.l.py through the mailing list. If you have questions regarding the use of Python, please take the time to consult the Python "Frequently Asked Questions" (FAQ) list first before posting to comp.lang.python: it's at . comp.lang.python.announce ------------------------- The comp.lang.python.announce newsgroup (or c.l.py.a for short) has been created in early 1998 as a companion newsgroup for comp.lang.python focused on Python-related announcements. The newsgroup charter is as follows: "comp.lang.python.announce is a moderated, low-volume newsgroup for announcements regarding the Python programming language, including: - new releases of the core distribution and contributed software - events (user group meetings, conferences, training, etc.) - periodic postings (FAQs) - other items of general interest to the Python community This is not a discussion group. Posts are expected to have Followup-To: headers set to "poster" or an appropriate newsgroup; posts that omit this header will have a Followup-To: comp.lang.python inserted by the moderator." comp.lang.python.announce posting guidelines -------------------------------------------- In addition to honoring the c.l.py.a charter (see above), you are asked to consider the following things when submitting announcements for comp.lang.python.announce: 1. It is often very helpful to INCLUDE SOME BACKGROUND INFORMATION if you are announcing a very specialized package or event. Submissions will be rejected by the moderators if a casual c.l.py.a reader cannot understand the utility or context of your announcement. 2. INCLUDE A URL (web address) for your announcement. Hint: a "real" web page often looks better than a mere FTP address and offers more possibilites to present your package "at a glance". 3. GIVE YOUR PACKAGE A VERSION NUMBER. If you give your package a version number from the start, it will be easier to identify different releases in the future. Even "small" packages should have version numbers. 4. Clarify the LICENSE that you release your package under. If you want to release something as free software, you might want to have a look at the "Open Source Definition", , and pick one of the licenses mentioned there under "Example Licenses". 5. You should INCLUDE YOUR E-MAIL ADDRESS in the body text of your posting or in the trailing .signature block. Please do *not* sign your announcement with PGP; most people would not know your public PGP key anyway and would get a warning message. 6. Avoid excessive cross-posting. Messages that are cross-posted to several moderated news groups will usually be approved by the moderator of the first group in the list. 7. To make it easier to include your announcement on www.python.org's front page, please include 2-3 lines of HTML code at the very end of your submission, using the following template:

PackageName 1.0 - short description of not more than one sentence. (DD-Mon-YY) You may only include *one* link, which should point to a web page with more info about your package (cf 2. above). The date should be in parentheses, formatted as shown, e.g. 29-Jul-98. 8. Format your posting so that all lines are at most 78 characters wide. (Exception: Internet resource addresses (cf. 7. above) should not be line-wrapped, if possible.) Mailing list gateways --------------------- * comp.lang.python: There is a two-way gateway between the comp.lang.python news group and the "python-list" mailing list. You can subscribe to this list by sending an e-mail message to the following address: with the text "subscribe" in the e-mail body. You can unsubscribe by sending an e-mail message to the same address with the text "unsubscribe" in the e-mail body. There is a web archive of past comp.lang.python postings at FindMail, . * comp.lang.python.announce: There is also a mailing list gateway for comp.lang.python.announce. To subscribe or unsubscribe, send an e-mail to with a body content of "subscribe" or "unsubscribe", respectively. Please note that comp.lang.python.announce is moderated; you cannot just post to this list. Please e-mail any announcements to the c.l.py.a submission address: or use your news reader to post to comp.lang.python.announce. In the latter case, your posting should be forwarded to the c.l.py.a moderators automatically by the news server software. A web archive of c.l.py.a postings is currently being prepared. Until it becomes available, you can look for c.l.py and c.l.py.a postings with DejaNews, , or FindMail, . Further Python Resources ------------------------ WWW: - Python Language Home Page - Python Language FAQs - Python Quick Help Index Page - Starship Python: User Pages Usenet: - Python Discussion Newsgroup - Python Announcements Newsgroup -- ----------- comp.lang.python.announce (moderated) ---------- Article Submission Address: python-announce@python.org Python Language Home Page: http://www.python.org/ Python Quick Help Index: http://www.python.org/Help.html ------------------------------------------------------------