FWD: Re: Programming / scripting languages in tech-writing

Subject: FWD: Re: Programming / scripting languages in tech-writing
From: Aahz <aahz -at- pythoncraft -dot- com>
To: "TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com>
Date: Fri, 24 May 2002 01:04:36 -0400


----- Forwarded message -----
From: aahz -at- pythoncraft -dot- com (Aahz)
Newsgroups: bit.listserv.techwr-l
Subject: Re: Programming / scripting languages in tech-writing
Date: 17 May 2002 02:01:27 -0400

In article <3CD6738B -dot- 4080406 -at- axionet -dot- com>,
Bruce Byfield <bbyfield -at- axionet -dot- com> wrote:
>
>Over the weekend, I was fiddling around with Perl. I don't know how far
>I'll get (not far, if past performance is anything to go on), but my
>explorations made me curious:
>
>Does anybody else on the list use a programming or scripting language in
>their work? If so, which one? And what sort of tasks do you use them for?

I'm mildly surprised to see so many responses mentioning Perl and so few
mentioning Python. My surprise is mild because I know that Perl is
still much more popular than Python; however, I *am* surprised because
I'd figure that a bunch of writers would prefer the readability of
Python.

What I'm currently doing with Python is writing about it so that more
people will start using it. ;-) (The book contract I mentioned in
another post is for an intermediate-level book on Python.) An example
of the kind of thing I personally use Python for is converting a simple
structured-text document into XML that then gets run through another
Python script written by someone else to create a PDF document (the
3rd-party script is called PythonPoint).

Here's a short snippet of code that demonstrates why I think Python is
more readable than Perl:

Perl:

while (<>) {
print;
}

Python:

import sys
for line in sys.stdin:
sys.stdout.write(line)
--
Aahz (aahz -at- pythoncraft -dot- com) <*> http://www.pythoncraft.com/

"In the end, outside of spy agencies, people are far too trusting and
willing to help." --Ira Winkler

----- End forwarded message -----

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Free copy of ARTS PDF Tools when you register for the PDF
Conference by May 15. Leading-Edge Practices for Enterprise
& Government, June 3-5, Bethesda,MD. www.PDFConference.com

Check out RoboDemo for tutorials! It makes creating full-motion software
demonstrations and other onscreen support materials easy and intuitive.
Need RoboHelp? Save $100 on RoboHelp Office in May with our mail-in rebate.
Go to http://www.ehelp.com/techwr-l
---
You are currently subscribed to techwr-l as: archive -at- raycomm -dot- com
To unsubscribe send a blank email to leave-techwr-l-obscured -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com
Send administrative questions to ejray -at- raycomm -dot- com -dot- Visit
http://www.raycomm.com/techwhirl/ for more resources and info.



Previous by Author: FWD: Re: more PDF stuff
Next by Author: FWD: Re: Programming / scripting languages in tech-writing
Previous by Thread: Re: Programming / scripting languages in tech-writing
Next by Thread: FWD: Re: Programming / scripting languages in tech-writing


What this post helpful? Share it with friends and colleagues:


Sponsored Ads