[sf-lug] BayPIGgies meeting Thursday, September 23, 2010: Powerful Python Patterns

[jim]

BayPIGgies meeting Thursday, September 23, 2010: Powerful Python
Patterns


This meeting's talk is Powerful Python Patterns
by Alex Martelli 

Patterns exist (and can fruitfully be studied and applied) 
in any field of human endeavor, including _of course_ Python, 
whatever a currently-going-around, misguided meme claims to 
the contrary. 

Tonight's talk summarizes of what Patterns are about, Design 
Patterns in particular, how they identify and describe 
categories of solutions to categories of problems, and how 
they're useful for teaching and communication as well as for 
guiding the design process.

As examples of specifically “Pythonic” patterns, tonight's 
talk reminds the audience of the variants of Template Method 
that fit Python so perfectly and of why Dependency Injection 
is also so perfectly Pythonic. After mentioning other kinds 
(i.e., non-design) patterns and “idioms”, the talk closes by 
showing how patterns work best when weaved into a whole 
Language of patterns, both hierarchically among different 
“scales”, and “peer to peer” among patterns on the same 
“scale”.

Alex Martelli wrote “Python in a Nutshell” and co-edited 
“Python Cookbook”. He’s a PSF member and won the 2002 
Activators’ Choice Award and the 2006 Frank Willison Award 
for contributions to the Python community. He works as Senior 
Staff Engineer for Google. His detailed profile is at 
http://www.google.com/profiles/aleaxit .

.........................................

Meetings usually start with a Newbie Nugget, a short discussion 
of an essential Python feature, especially for those new to 
Python. 
Tonight's Newbie Nugget: none. 


LOCATION 
Symantec Corporation
Symantec Vcafe
350 Ellis Street
Mountain View, CA 94043
http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?oe=utf-8&client=firefox-a&ie=UTF8&fb=1&split=1&gl=us&ei=w6i_Sfr6MZmQsQOzlv0v&hl=en&t=h&msa=0&msid=116202735295394761637.00046550c09ff3d96bff1&ll=37.397693,-122.053707&spn=0.002902,0.004828&z=18

BayPIGgies meeting information is available at 
http://www.baypiggies.net/ 


------------------------ Agenda ------------------------


..... 7:30 PM ...........................
General hubbub, inventory end-of-meeting announcements, 
any first-minute announcements. 


..... 7:35 PM to 7:35 PM ................
Tonight's Newbie Nugget: none. 


..... 7:35 PM to 8:40 PM (or so) ................
The talk: Powerful Python Patterns by Alex Martelli 


..... 8:40 PM to 9:30 PM  ................
Mapping and Random Access

Mapping is a rapid-fire audience announcement of issues, 
hiring, events, and other topics. 

Random Access follows people immediately to allow follow 
up on the announcements and other interests.