A look at the history of the Python programming language

Posted on Monday, August 12 2019 @ 15:08 CEST by Thomas De Maesschalck
ZD Net writer Nick Heath had a chat Guido van Rossum, the creator of the Python programming language. Python has picked up a lot of steam in recent years and it's interesting to see how things have evolved over the years. You can read the full piece over here.
While sharing software with the world today only takes a few clicks, in the 1980s it was an altogether more laborious affair, with van Rossum recalling the difficulties of trying to distribute Python precursor ABC.

"I remember around '85, going on a vacation trip to the US, my first ever visit to the US, with a magnetic tape in my luggage," says van Rossum.

Armed with addresses and phone numbers of people who had signalled an interest in ABC via the rudimentary email system available at the time -- which wasn't suited to handling anything as large as source code -- he travelled door-to-door posting the tapes. Despite this effort, ABC didn't really take off...


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Thomas De Maesschalck

Thomas has been messing with computer since early childhood and firmly believes the Internet is the best thing since sliced bread. Enjoys playing with new tech, is fascinated by science, and passionate about financial markets. When not behind a computer, he can be found with running shoes on or lifting heavy weights in the weight room.



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