Asynchronous Python – A Real World Example

Asynchronous Python – A Real World Example

Introduction We have a customer that developed a hardware device to make physical measurements. Some years ago we wrote a suite of software tools for the customer: a tablet application for configuring the hardware device, a django web server to receive uploaded XML...
The Sunsetting of Python 2x

The Sunsetting of Python 2x

“Sunsetting.” It sounds so pleasant — a sky of golden rays flanked by purples and reds and oranges. The end of the day. Or, for software developers, the end of life of a technology or version of that technology that can, depending on the prevalence of the...
Cython Extension PBJ

Cython Extension PBJ

Python is a powerful programming language with extensive library support. But what does one do when needing to integrate with a platform-specific C or C++ component that has no native Python support? There are two options: completely rewrite the functionality in Python, or create a Python extension. Either option can be painful and prone to errors. Enter Cython. It’s like the peanut butter and the jelly to the extension sandwich.
Like a PBJ sandwich, Cython code is easy to construct, satisfying to use, does not require exotic ingredients, and can be prepared by almost anyone.

Generating PDFs: wkhtmltopdf & Heroku

Generating PDFs: wkhtmltopdf & Heroku

So, it has come to this.
Reports, yes, your application will have to have reports – in brand colours, with images and logos abounding, and probably festooned with graphs of various sizes, shapes and degrees of relevance to what was once a nice, streamlined set of data. This report has just become a part of the application ‘product’, meant not just to communicate, but also to entice and enthrall. Form has become just as important as function… and, did I forget to mention? It also needs to be exportable.

Nanobot: A Tiny Little Twitterbot Framework

Nanobot: A Tiny Little Twitterbot Framework

There’s been a lot of talk this year about bots and conversational interfaces becoming an increasingly important tool for software developers. A few years ago I wrote about a twitterbot that I created, and I’ve just pulled out all of the common logic into a Python framework that you can use to quickly create your own twitterbots by focusing on just the bits that make your bot unique.
Check out ‘nanobot’.