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diff --git a/Misc/BLURB.WINDOWS b/Misc/BLURB.WINDOWS new file mode 100644 index 0000000..097db4d --- /dev/null +++ b/Misc/BLURB.WINDOWS @@ -0,0 +1,81 @@ +Announcing Python + +Python, a mature, powerful and stable programming language used by +tens of thousands of programmers worldwide, has arrived in full force +at the heart of Windows 95 and Windows NT. Toting the powerful +toolbox which has made it such a sucess on almost every modern +operating system, Python for Windows has embraced the metaphors and +resources of its new home and turned them into powerful tools within +the Python language. + +Python's wrapper-around-a-tool metaphor allows it to provide a +well-formed handle for manipulating the technologies which MicroSoft +provides to the programmer. These tools include: + +- Office automation and customisation through ActiveX and COM Scripting +- Networking services +- Remote access services +- Performance monitoring +- Registry maintenance +- Database interaction through both ODBC and native database drivers + +In addition, Python provides access to the standard +application-building libraries, the MicroSoft Foundation Classes. + +Python is a high-level, interpreted, interactive, object-oriented +programming language. It provides the modern features programmer's +expect or desire, modules, exceptions, dynamic typing, high-level +dynamic data types, and classes. It combines remarkable power with +clear syntax, and easy extension. + +It is easy to extend Python by adding new, compiled tools to the +language. The compiling of extensions into the language toolbox +mitigates the overhead of interpretation, while the ability to mix +compiled and interpretted code promotes rapid application +development. In addition, it is possible to embed Python itself as a +tool in your applications, an easily understood and readily learned +extension language. + +(Should be some sort of bridge between the ideas of extending and the +ideas of already-available tools, but I have to start work soon...) + +Python's extensive, portable toolbox, available on Windows, most +Unixes, MacOS, DOS, and OS/2 includes a host of powerful tools which +are now easily available to Windows programmers. These include: + +- TCP/IP socket support +- CGI Forms Processing for the World-wide web +- Clients and servers for (among others) the HTTP and FTP protocols +- Powerful text manipulation facilities +- Powerful (optional) numeric and image manipulation facilities + +One of the most exciting of Python for Windows' new tools is +COM/ActiveX support. This tool allows Python to act as both server +and client to any COM-capable application or language, a group that +includes MSOffice, CorelDraw, MS Active Server Pages, Netscape +Communicator, MS Internet Explorer, Delphi, Visual Basic and Visual +C++. + +Client support allows Python to drive these applications (or +applications written in these languages), automating tasks, importing +or exporting data, customising environments and processing +information. Server support allows Python to be driven in a similar +manner, to provide access to its tools to any application capable of +calling a COM object. + +> Python's dynamism, flexibility, object oriented features, and +> ease of use make it a powerful and useful alternative to Java, +> Visual Basic, and compiled languages such as Delphi or C++. +> Simply put Python offers the simplest and most powerful way +> to solve many important programming and system administration +> tasks in the ActiveX/COM environment." + +It is, however, Python which is the star of Python for Windows. +Over seven years old, Python has long been a favourite of Web +Masters, Python is a clear, easily learned and understood language +with features that lend themselves to developing rapid, robust, +dynamic solutions. It is being used to solve problems in many large +organisations, notably including ... (insert notes here). It is +enthusiastically supported through public newsgroups and mailing +lists frequented by a large number of Python enthusiasts. Python +arguably provides the best support of any free language available. |