Python Magazine for July 2008
The July issue is available for download now.
Brandon Rhodes delivers another cover story for us, this time on Kinetic Style Sheets. KSS is a JavaScript engine that interprets files full of CSS-like instructions that can launch both client-side and server-side actions in response to the user’s typing and clicks. Brandon makes it look easy, as usual.
Speaking of easy, Jonathan LaCour takes all of the mystery out of metaclasses with an explanation clear enough to make me reconsider using them in my own work.
This month also brings us the final installment of Learning Python with PyGame from Terry Hancock. The Cat and Mouse game comes together with sprites and more animation to create something ready to play.
Once you’ve finished learning PyGame, let Richard Jones inspire you to participate in PyWeek, a semi-annual game programming challenge using Python. Richard’s journal walks through the evolution of his own game, and shows how much fun the contest can be.
Threaded Comments for Your Site from Eric Florenzano rounds out the feature articles for July. If you’re building a web site using Django and want to support discussions or comments, check out Eric’s article and django-threadedcomments.
In his Welcome to Python column, regular contributor Mark Mruss introduces the set data type. Jesse Noller “gets with” context managers in Completely Different, exploring the new feature available in Python 2.5’s __future__ module. Finally, Steve Holden considers whether scientists and technologists should be more involved in social and political issues.
Enjoy!