FRESH

Hacker News

Guido van Rossum Interviews Thomas Wouters (Python Core Dev)

97 points by azhenley

by OskarS

0 subcomment

Great interview, really fun to read. I love that they were both so technically involved, the section of the great interview where they just start discussing how a range literal would work and why it's a good/bad idea is just great. A wonderful example of how really talented and smart engineers talk to each other.

by tda

0 subcomment

I love these kind of stories, and I appreciate the effort to write these histories down.
I do think the interview could use a bit more editing, it now reads more like a literal transcript and that is somewhat exhausting to read. Take this excerpt:
>> "Like it just fit my brain. It’s one of those where I don’t have to think about it, it just automatically makes sense to me. Much more than any other programming language. Even though I quite like C, I quite like all the pitfalls in C, I’m very comfortable in C and C++ and pretty comfortable in Java and PHP, but Python is just fun and it’s enjoyable and it makes sense. And this was the Usenet days, of course. I think the Python list, yeah, the email list gateway existed as well. So I think I just subscribed to Python-List and learned a lot about Python just from using it, following along."

by DonHopkins

1 subcomments

> And I remember vividly because we had the board elections. I was running for the board. He was running for the board. We had six people elected. And then tied in seventh place were Eric Raymond and I. And he suggested a shootout. I mean playfully, suggested a gun duel because that’s his thing and you said how about pies instead and then Greg said no we’ll just have another round of elections and then I won (Guido laughs) and then in the first years of the PSF we were talking a lot about, I don’t know where to get income and how to get companies to support Python and that kind of thing. And obviously the IRS status and what we should do. And I remember at one point I made a analogy with gun laws or gun regulation or something. And you sent a reply saying, I’m so glad that you won instead of Eric Raymond.
WHEW they literally dodged a bullet there!

by zateH

2 subcomments

Wouters canceled and libeled several people including Tim Peters while increasing his influence and power. He is one of the nastiest open source politicians.
GvR isn't far behind. Two horrible people promoting each other

by itsmemattchung

0 subcomment

Really interesting format (and appreciate him / Guido being explicit about preferring written prose over [audio] podcasts).
> I remember my niece had a problem with it because her son wanted to drop out of school and pointed to me as, look, I don’t meet school, look at Thomas. And I had to go, no, no, no. I was in a unique situation where the industry was open to anyone who could do the work and I could do the work. That’s not the case anymore. So you have to finish school.