|
15 | 15 | \begin{abstract} |
16 | 16 |
|
17 | 17 | \noindent |
18 | | -Python is a simple, yet powerful, interpreted programming language |
19 | | -that bridges the gap between \C{} and shell programming, and is thus |
20 | | -ideally suited for ``throw-away programming'' and rapid prototyping. |
21 | | -Its syntax is put together from constructs borrowed from a variety of |
22 | | -other languages; most prominent are influences from \ABC, \C, Modula-3 |
23 | | -and Icon. |
24 | | - |
25 | | -The Python interpreter is easily extended with new functions and data |
26 | | -types implemented in \C{}. Python is also suitable as an extension |
27 | | -language for highly customizable C applications such as editors or |
28 | | -window managers. |
29 | | - |
30 | | -Python is available for various operating systems, amongst which |
31 | | -several flavors of \UNIX{} (including Linux), the Apple Macintosh O.S., |
32 | | -MS-DOS, MS-Windows 3.1, Windows NT, and OS/2. |
| 18 | +Python is an interpreted, object-oriented, high-level programming |
| 19 | +language with dynamic semantics. Its high-level built in data |
| 20 | +structures, combined with dynamic typing and dynamic binding, make it |
| 21 | +very attractive for rapid application development, as well as for use |
| 22 | +as a scripting or glue language to connect existing components |
| 23 | +together. Python's simple, easy to learn syntax emphasizes |
| 24 | +readability and therefore reduces the cost of program |
| 25 | +maintenance. Python supports modules and packages, which encourages |
| 26 | +program modularity and code reuse. The Python interpreter and the |
| 27 | +extensive standard library are available in source or binary form |
| 28 | +without charge for all major platforms, and can be freely distributed. |
33 | 29 |
|
34 | 30 | This reference manual describes the syntax and ``core semantics'' of |
35 | | -the language. It is terse, but attempts to be exact and complete. |
36 | | -The semantics of non-essential built-in object types and of the |
37 | | -built-in functions and modules are described in the \emph{Python |
38 | | -Library Reference}. For an informal introduction to the language, see |
39 | | -the \emph{Python Tutorial}. |
| 31 | +the language. It is terse, but attempts to be exact and complete. The |
| 32 | +semantics of non-essential built-in object types and of the built-in |
| 33 | +functions and modules are described in the \emph{Python Library |
| 34 | +Reference}. For an informal introduction to the language, see the |
| 35 | +\emph{Python Tutorial}. For \C{} or \Cpp{} programmers, two additional |
| 36 | +manuals exist: \emph{Extending and Embedding the Python Interpreter} |
| 37 | +describes the high-level picture of how to write a Python extension |
| 38 | +module, and the \emph{Python/C API Reference Manual} describes the |
| 39 | +interfaces available to C/C++ programmers in detail. |
40 | 40 |
|
41 | 41 | \end{abstract} |
42 | 42 |
|
|
0 commit comments