title: Use python to check if dev_appserver is running on localhost
body: <p>I have a script that I use to connect to localhost:8080 to run some commands on a dev_appserver instance. I use a combination of <code>remote_api_stub</code> and <code>httplib.HTTPConnection</code>. Before I make any calls to either api I want to ensure that the server is actually running.</p>
  
  <p>What would be a "best practice" way in python to determine:</p>
  
  <ol>
  <li>if <em>any</em> web server is running on localhost:8080</li>
  <li>if dev_appserver is running on localhost:8080?</li>
  </ol>