Towards Jython 2.2

Jython, lest you do not know of it, is the most compelling weapon the Java platform has for its survival into the 21st century:-) Jython 2.2 alpha release now available.

Polblogs in Portugal

Parliamentary Weblogs in Portugal. The start of a trend.

le voila

Python 2.3 released. List of some of the new stuff here. My favourites: csv module and zip file imports.

Service Oriented Integration

Principles of Service Oriented Integration is a white paper by myself and my colleague Fergal Murray of Propylon. [5 page PDF]. Think you know what BANDSTAND means? Think again :-)

Name based polymorphism in programming languages

Reading the (very useful) article: Typing: Strong vs. Weak, Static vs. Dynamic has lead me to re-formulate my understanding of name-based polymorphism.
Simply put, Python has what is sometimes referred to as 'duck typing'. That is, if an object has the attributes one associated with a duck, then its a duck, *regardless* of its inheritance hierarchy.
In Aspect Oriented Programming-speak, it is as if Python "interfaces" (Java speak) are implemented as cross-cutting concerns rather than tucked into the syntax of the language.
In philosophy-of-language-speak, it is as if Python does not require a rigid designator for a collection of object attributes.
i.e. You don't have to name the interface. Any collection of attributes is readily usable as an interface - no formal naming mechanism required
Descriptivists probably approve:-)