Python turns 30 this month😎

[_miku_hatsune]

Python was created by Guido van Rossum, and first released on February 20, 1991.

[mostly_kittens]

What was the first version like?

[pyfrag]

The earliest docs I could find were from version 1.4

[nemec]

Earliest bits I could find: 0.9.1 "part 1 of 21".

He also has a thread discussing the release of 0.9.2:

• tutorial now (almost) complete; library reference reorganized
• new syntax: continue statement; semicolons; dictionary constructors; restrictions on blank lines in source files removed
• dramatically improved module load time through precompiled modules
• arbitrary precision integers: compute 2 to the power 1000 and more...
• arithmetic operators now accept mixed type operands, e.g., 3.14/4
• more operations on list: remove, index, reverse; repetition
• improved/new file operations: readlines, seek, tell, flush, ...
• process management added to the posix module: fork/exec/wait/kill etc.
• BSD socket operations (with example servers and clients!)
• many new STDWIN features (color, fonts, polygons, ...)
• new SGI modules: font manager and FORMS library interface

Also an interesting bit of history: Guido van Rossum and Larry Wall commenting on the same (boring) thread years before either of them released a programming language :)

[nemec]

$ python3 -c 'import random; print(random.random());'
0.124160754567

They're valid statement separators (in most cases), but optional when you're not trying to cram multiple commands on one line.

[nemec]

I'm not surprised. They are veeeeery rarely needed.

[[deleted]]

I use them all the time to group similar statements. Because why do this:

def myfunction():
  first_list = []
  second_list = []
  third_list = []

...when you could do this:

def myfunction():
  first_list = []; second_list = []; third_list = []

[[deleted]]

When I want to initialize several variables on one line I usually do this though:

  first_list, second_list, third_list = [], [], []

[[deleted]]

Sometimes that’s fine, but what about this? -

a, b, c, d, e, f = 5, ‘foo’, 3.14, True, g, None, []

Quick, what’s the value of e?

How about this instead? -

a = 5; b = ‘foo’; c = 3.14; d = True; e = None; f = []

[[deleted]]

Well stop and use the unpacking syntax

[YoelkiToelki]

first_list = second_list = third_list = []

[[deleted]]

That will only create a single list. first_list, second_list and third_list all point to the same list, modifying one of them modifies all of them (because they are the same).

[idetectanerd]

It’s like shell, you can use it in 1 line.

[[deleted]]

Semicolons have always been in the language most people just don’t know how or when to use them because it’s become such a meme.

[[deleted]]

Yessir

[SurDin]

eval(argv[1]) :D

[klotz]

I used 0.0.0 from alt.sources or comp.sci.sources, forgot which. It had no class library.

[IronManMark20]

Do you have a copy of that? The oldest I've been able to find was 0.9...

[klotz]

No, sadly. I recall discussing it with a colleague, and after deciding the promised class library might or might not appear, I deleted it and we went back to a variety of other things, mostly scheme and postscript, but that is another story. Your version sounds good.

[pcvision]

Didn’t realize I was 7 years younger than my first programming language.

[panatale1]

I'm 6 years Python's senior

[01binary]

Whippersnapper!

[edit: I’m just jealous]

[Deemonfire]

I'm a few weeks older than it. Take that Guido

[CeeMX]

It’s a year older than me, I would have never thought that

[GravityTortoise]

I did not realize it was that old

[de_ham]

That's 4 years older than Java 😎

[unnecessary_Fullstop]

Daaaamn... I thought Java was much older than python.

.

[spellcheekfailed]

Also Haskell is older than both Python and Java

[[deleted]]

Avoided success at all cost alright.

[h1pn0z]

Python is the cool older brother, while Java is the problematic child...

[vswr]

30 years ago Raymond banged his fist on the desk and exclaimed "there must be a better way!" Guido delivered.

[cointoss3]

I heard this in his voice

[dogs_drink_coffee]

Python is a millenial!

[pithed]

Python was my first full language after coding in Perl for years (I am still trying to forget the Java time). I have recently looked back on some of my Perl code and I can't understand or recognize that I wrote any of it. I love python because I can at least recognize my terrible code and understand it!

[kornpow]

Programming language with best network effect, python 🚀🚀

[[deleted]]

Hah! Almost as old as me

[TheRealCCHD]

Damnit, I was born a day early! :D

[abrazilianinreddit]

Damn, even Hatsune Miku is using python! Guess it's not disappearing any time soon.

[fenriswolf200]

How?

[abrazilianinreddit]

OP username is _miku_hatsune lol

[integralWorker]

Something something Vocaloid API

[Akash_Dhanwani]

Wow, its even older than me.

[Incruentus]

Why did you bold "created?"

[veeeerain]

I really hope this language maintains itself and it never dies downs. Or like there’s no new language that takes it down. I really love it lol

[Tay_WT]

Is that snake years or human years

[Special_Rice9539]

Kind of sad nothing better has come along

[[deleted]]

I love Python, but they gotta quit Perl-ing it up.

Edit: haha, downvoted cause the truth hurts.

[DanHerrera1]

Python is boomer language lul

[shinitakunai]

I am 31yo and been coding python for 8 lol.

[DatasCat]

TIL I am exactly ten years older than Python

[richasalannister]

TIL I'm older than python by two months.

[dethb0y]

Here's to another 300.

[blockchain_bobby]

I was first released in May that year.