Jython Monthly
November 2006 -- Issue #5

Welcome to the November 2006 issue of Jython Monthly. The content of this newsletter will focus on using and developing the Jython languge. I want to encourage the readers of Jython Monthly to send any articles, tips, tricks, or any other Jython related material to me if you think it should be distributed with this newsletter.

Special thanks to those who submitted material for this month's newsletter!

- Josh Juneau

Questions, comments, or suggestions?

Please send email to:

jython-monthly@mchsi.com or jython-users@lists.sourceforge.net for discussion.

Articles

Extending Jython Drag N Drop Example

Submitted By: Colin

This is a Jython translation of Sun's Java example of how extend drag and drop functionality. It omits the JTable component but this should be easy to add. Although not perfect, hopefully it may be of use to someone and demonstrate how easy DnD is to implement and extend in Jython.

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Jython and SOAP Example

Submitted By: Claude Falbriard

I´ve integrated the APACHE SOAP package which provides a simple client for SOAP protocol. The sample program delivers a "Currency Converter" in real-time . The webservice is available for public access from a site called: xmethods.net.

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Special Last Minute Off The Lists!

Sun Extends a Helping Hand for Jython

Posted By: Charles Oliver Nutter of Sun

Hello Jythonistas! I'm writing to check on current Jython status and to see if there's any way I can lend a hand.

As you may know, Tom Enebo and I were hired by Sun recently to work on JRuby. I've also made it a personal goal to also help bring other dynamic languages up to speed on the JVM, and that certainly means Jython. Dynlangs are coming of age on the JVM, and Jython deserves attention as much as JRuby or any other language.

Then there's also the recent release of IronPython by Microsoft via Jim Hugunin, the original creator of Jython. IronPython has proven that Python can run even faster on a VM, so the logical next step would be to bring Jython up to speed as well. We certainly don't want the JVM's Python story to be lacking.

So then, to business...

Where does Jython stand today WRT Python compatibility, performance, maintenance level?

Is there an active dev team, or folks willing to jump back into active dev?

What would be the next major steps for Jython if we wanted to start moving it back toward Python compatibility and IronPython performance levels?

I know a bit about Jython's internal design, but I could use a walkthrough of the basics. I don't know that I'll have many spare development cycles until JRuby 1.0 is out (don't know when), but I'd like to do whatever I can to help Jython get some attention. Of course I love Ruby, but Python is in many ways better-established and better suited for certain kinds of development. It would be foolish to squander this renewed interest in dynlangs on only Ruby, since the "other guys" are obviously taking a broad focus on multiple dynlangs.

Please feel free to respond publicly or privately. I know we can get Jython going again and back in the public eye.

If interested in responding, please post to jython-dev@lists.sourceforge.net

Interested in Developing Jython?

If you are interested in developing Jython, please take a look at the current bug listing and submit patches for items which you can repair.

IDE Information

JyConsole 1.3 Released

PyDev 1.2.5 Released

Major Highlights

Early release of the Pydev package explorer View. Features already implemented:

Common resource actions (delete, copy, rename, team...) Shows the Source folder with a different icon Linking mode enabled Shows the outline for a python file Opening an item in the outline opens the correct place in the correspondent file NOTE: The package explorer is still in a beta state