History of Python: Difference between revisions

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{{Main|Python (programming language)}}

The [[programming language]] [[Python (programming language)|Python]] was conceived in the late 1980s,<ref name="venners-interview-pt-1">{{cite web |url=http://www.artima.com/intv/pythonP.html |title=The Making of Python |access-date=March 22, 2007 |publisher=Artima Developer |archive-date=September 1, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160901183332/http://www.artima.com/intv/pythonP.html |url-status=live}}</ref> and its implementation was started in December 1989<ref name="timeline-of-python" /> by [[Guido van Rossum]] at [[Centrum Wiskunde & Informatica|CWI]] in [[the Netherlands]] as a successor to [[ABC (programming language)|ABC]] capable of [[exception handling]] and interfacing with the [[Amoeba (operating system)|Amoeba operating system]].<ref name="faq-created">{{cite web |url=https://www.python.org/doc/faq/general/#why-was-python-created-in-the-first-place |title=Why was Python created in the first place? |publisher=Python FAQ |access-date=March 22, 2007 |archive-date=February 23, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080223222507/http://www.python.org/doc/faq/general/#why-was-python-created-in-the-first-place |url-status=live}}</ref> Van Rossum iswas Python's principal author, and hishad continuinga central role in deciding the direction of Python is(as reflected in the title given to him by the Python community, [[Benevolent dictator for life|''Benevolent Dictator for Life'' (BDFL)]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.artima.com/weblogs/viewpost.jsp?thread=235725 |title=Origin of BDFL |first=Guido |last=van Rossum |date=July 31, 2008 |access-date=August 1, 2008 |archive-date=January 16, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110116210946/http://www.artima.com/weblogs/viewpost.jsp?thread=235725 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.eweek.com/c/a/Application-Development/Python-Creator-Scripts-Inside-Google/ |title=Python Creator Scripts Inside Google |date=March 7, 2006 |publisher=www.eweek.com |access-date=May 13, 2008 |archive-date=August 9, 2018 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20180809122951/http://www.eweek.com/development/python-creator-scripts-inside-google |url-status=live}}</ref>) (However,until Van Rossum steppedstepping down as leader on July 12, 2018.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Fairchild |first1=Carlie |title=Guido van Rossum Stepping Down from Role as Python's Benevolent Dictator For Life |url=https://www.linuxjournal.com/content/guido-van-rossum-stepping-down-role-pythons-benevolent-dictator-life |access-date=July 12, 2018 |work=Linux Journal |date=July 12, 2018 |language=en |archive-date=July 13, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180713192427/https://www.linuxjournal.com/content/guido-van-rossum-stepping-down-role-pythons-benevolent-dictator-life |url-status=live}}</ref>). Python was named after the [[BBC TV]] show ''[[Monty Python's Flying Circus]]''.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://docs.python.org/3/faq/general.html#why-is-it-called-python |title=General Python FAQ — Python 3.8.3 documentation |website=docs.python.org |access-date=June 4, 2020 |archive-date=October 24, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121024164224/http://docs.python.org/faq/general.html#why-is-it-called-python |url-status=live}}</ref>

Python 2.0 was released on October 16, 2000, with many major new features, such as [[list comprehension]]s, [[cycle detection|cycle-detecting]] [[garbage collection (computer science)|garbage collector]] (in addition to [[reference counting]]) and [[reference counting]], for [[memory management]] and support for [[Unicode]], along with a change to the development process itself, with a shift to a more transparent and community-backed process.<ref name="newin-2.0">{{cite web |url=http://www.amk.ca/python/2.0/ |title=What's New in Python 2.0 |first1=Andrew M. |last1=Kuchling |first2=Moshe |last2=Zadka |access-date=March 22, 2007 |archive-date=December 14, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091214142515/http://www.amk.ca/python/2.0}}</ref>