Guido van Rossum: The TRUE History Behind The Python Programming Language

Behind The Code

28 Nov 202205:00

Summary

TLDRThis video explores the history of Python, from its inception during a 1989 Christmas holiday by Guido van Rossum to its current status as a leading programming language. Initially designed to improve upon ABC, Python offered increased readability and efficiency over C. Its open-source journey began with a split source code release on Usenet, evolving through versions to include features like exception handling and Unicode support. Python's rise in popularity is attributed to its simplicity, extensive libraries, and applicability in fields like big data and machine learning. Today, Python competes with top languages and has a dedicated community known as 'pythonistas'.

Takeaways

🌟 Python's popularity is highlighted by its frequent mentions in Google searches, surpassing even celebrities like Kim Kardashian and Donald Trump.
🎄 Python was initially developed by Guido van Rossum during the Christmas holidays in 1989 as a project to create a new programming language.
🐍 The name 'Python' was inspired by the British comedy group Monty Python and was chosen for its edgy, mysterious, and one-breath pronunciation.
🔍 Python was designed to be more readable and programmer-friendly compared to C, aiming to offer a shorter development time and better appeal to Unix and C hackers.
📚 Python's early versions, starting from 0.9.0, included features like exception handling, functions, modules, classes, and core data types like list, dict, and str.
🌐 Python's open-source nature was a strategic decision in the 90s, which involved breaking the source code into 21 parts to share on Usenet.
📈 Python 1.0 introduced functional programming tools, keyword arguments, and support for complex numbers, marking a significant step in its evolution.
🏆 The National Institute for Standards and Technology's adoption of Python for standards-related projects in 1994 helped to further popularize the language.
🚀 Python 2.0, released in 2000, featured Unicode support, a full garbage collector, and list comprehensions, enhancing its capabilities.
🔄 The transition to Python 3.0 was challenging due to compatibility issues with third-party libraries, but it was necessary for the language's long-term health.
🌐 Python's current success is attributed to its adaptability in big data and machine learning, as well as its simplicity, which attracts new developers.

Q & A

What is the most exciting fact mentioned about Python's popularity?
-Python was searched more times on Google than Kim Kardashian and Donald Trump.
When was Python initially developed?
-Python was initially developed during a Christmas holiday in 1989.
Who is the creator of Python?
-Guido van Rossum is the creator of Python.
What was the original purpose of Python's development?
-Python was developed to be a language that was more readable, programmable, and faster to use than C, and to appeal to hackers in Unix and C languages.
Why was Python named as such?
-The name Python was taken from the BBC TV show Monty Python's Flying Circus, as van Rossum was a fan and wanted a name that sounded edgy, mysterious, and could be spoken in one breath.
What was the dilemma Guido van Rossum faced regarding Python's distribution?
-Guido van Rossum faced the dilemma of deciding whether to make Python open source or not, as the business model for language developers at the time was inconclusive.
What was the first version of Python released, and what features did it include?
-The first version of Python released was 0.9.0, which included features like exception handling, functions, modules, classes, and core data types like list, dict, and str.
What significant event happened in 1994 for Python?
-In 1994, Python 1.0 was released, and the National Institute for Standards and Technology selected Python for use in standards-related projects.
What is the 'Zen of Python' and when was it introduced?
-The 'Zen of Python' is a set of 20 aphorisms that guide Python's design philosophy. It was introduced when Python 2.0 was released in 2000.
What was the major challenge with the release of Python 3.0?
-The major challenge with the release of Python 3.0 was that it was not fully backward compatible, causing issues for users relying on third-party libraries that were slower to upgrade.
What is the latest version of Python mentioned in the script, and what is one of its improvements?
-The latest version of Python mentioned in the script is 3.11.0, which is up to 60% faster than the older 3.10 version.
What factors have contributed to Python's surge in popularity?
-Python's surge in popularity has been attributed to the development of interest in big data and machine learning, as well as its simplicity and straightforwardness for new developers.

Outlines

00:00

🐍 The Rise of Python: A Programming Language History

The paragraph delves into the popularity of Python, highlighting its frequent mentions in Google searches compared to celebrities. It traces the language's origins back to a 1989 Christmas project by Guido van Rossum, who aimed to create a language that improved upon the readability and programming efficiency of C. Python was designed to be hacker-friendly, drawing inspiration from Unix and C. The name 'Python' was inspired by the British comedy show 'Monty Python's Flying Circus,' reflecting van Rossum's desire for a name that was edgy and could be spoken in one breath. The language's simplicity and design strategy have been shaped by a long history, leading to its current status as an easy-to-learn option. The paragraph also discusses Python's early development stages, its open-source dilemma, and the features introduced in its initial versions, such as exception handling and modules. The influence of the ABC language and the support from the National Institute for Standards and Technology are also mentioned, along with the role of Guido van Rossum in popularizing Python through conferences and workshops.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Python

Python is a high-level, interpreted programming language known for its readability and ease of use. In the video, Python's creation and evolution are discussed, highlighting its rise in popularity due to its simplicity and versatility. The script mentions Python's development starting as a Christmas holiday project by Guido van Rossum in 1989, aiming to combine the best parts of ABC with improvements over C.

💡Guido van Rossum

Guido van Rossum is the creator of Python and is often referred to as the 'Benevolent Dictator For Life' (BDFL). The video script describes how he started developing Python during a holiday in 1989 and his role in shaping the language's direction and community. His influence is evident in Python's design philosophy and its community-driven development approach.

💡Open Source

Open source refers to a software development approach where the source code is made available to the public, allowing anyone to view, modify, and distribute the software. In the context of the video, Python was initially faced with the decision to be open source or not. The script mentions the challenges of sharing source code in the 90s, which eventually led to Python being shared on Usenet, embracing the open-source model.

💡Monty Python's Flying Circus

Monty Python's Flying Circus is a British surreal comedy sketch show from which Python, the programming language, derived its name. The video script explains that Guido van Rossum was a fan of the show and chose the name Python for the language to reflect an edgy, mysterious, and memorable quality.

💡Zen of Python

The Zen of Python is a collection of 20 aphorisms that outline Python's design philosophy. It includes principles like 'Beautiful is better than ugly' and 'Simple is better than complex.' The video script mentions these principles as part of Python's identity, guiding its development and use, and reflecting the language's emphasis on readability and simplicity.

💡Functional Programming

Functional programming is a programming paradigm that treats computation as the evaluation of mathematical functions and avoids changing state and mutable data. The video script notes that Python 2.0 introduced list comprehensions, a feature often associated with functional programming languages, enhancing Python's capabilities in this area.

💡Unicode

Unicode is a computing industry standard for the consistent encoding, representation, and handling of text expressed in most of the world's writing systems. The video script highlights that Python 2.0 added Unicode support, which was a significant step towards making Python a more globally inclusive language.

💡Garbage Collector

A garbage collector is a form of automatic memory management used in programming languages to reclaim memory occupied by objects that are no longer in use. The video script mentions that Python 2.0 introduced a full garbage collector, which improved the language's performance and ease of use by managing memory automatically.

💡Python 3.0

Python 3.0 is a major version of Python that introduced significant changes, including a new print statement and changes to the language's syntax. The video script discusses the challenges this version faced due to compatibility issues with existing libraries, but also notes that these changes were necessary for the language's long-term health.

💡Pythonistas

Pythonistas is a term used to refer to members of the Python community. The video script mentions this dedicated community as a key factor in Python's success, highlighting the importance of community support and contribution to the language's development and popularity.

💡Big Data

Big data refers to the vast amounts of structured and unstructured data that are so large they become difficult to process using traditional database and software techniques. The video script attributes Python's surge in popularity partly to the development of big data and the need for a language that can handle complex data processing tasks efficiently.

Highlights

Python's popularity is attributed to being searched more times on Google than Kim Kardashian and Donald Trump.

Python was largely developed by Guido van Rossum during a Christmas holiday in 1989.

Python was designed to be more readable and less time-consuming than C, appealing to Unix and C hackers.

The name 'Python' was inspired by the BBC TV show Monty Python's Flying Circus.

Python's design philosophy emphasizes simplicity and ease of learning.

Python's initial release faced the dilemma of whether to go open source.

Python's source code was initially broken into 21 parts to be shared on Usenet.

Python 1.0 introduced features like exception handling, functions, modules, and classes.

Python's growth was supported by the National Institute for Standards and Technology.

Guido van Rossum became known as the Benevolent Dictator For Life (BDFL) in 1995.

Python 2.0 added Unicode support and a full garbage collector.

Python 3.0 was a significant update that caused compatibility issues with older versions.

Python's update to version 3.0 was aimed at improving the language despite the transition challenges.

Python's recent update, version 3.11.0, is up to 60% faster than its predecessor.

Python competes with top programming languages like Java and JavaScript.

Python's popularity surge is linked to the rise of big data and machine learning.

Python has a vast ecosystem of libraries, frameworks, and a community known as 'Pythonistas'.