preface xxxiii part getting started python & session why do people use pythonsoftware quality developer productivity is python "scripting language"okbut what' the downsidewho uses python todaywhat can do with pythonsystems programming guis internet scripting component integration database programming rapid prototyping numeric and scientific programming and moregamingimagesdata miningrobotsexcel how is python developed and supportedopen source tradeoffs what are python' technical strengthsit' object-oriented and functional it' free it' portable it' powerful it' mixable it' relatively easy to use it' relatively easy to learn it' named after monty python