[GNHLUG] PySIG August 2008 - this Thursday (28th) - BOSS(tm); Kent's Korner; more

Bill Sconce sconce at in-spec-inc.com
Mon Aug 25 20:26:13 EDT 2008


PySIG                    Manchester, NH                   28 August 2008
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                           The BOSS
              BOSS -- Build your Own Search Service
        Presented by Ray Côté, Appropriate Solutions, Inc.
------------------------------------------------------------------------

____________________________________________________________________
PySIG -- New Hampshire Python Special Interest Group
Amoskeag Business Incubator, Manchester, NH
28 August 2008 (4th Thursday)   7:00PM        (Beginner's Q&A at 6:30PM)

The monthly meeting of PySIG, the NH Python Special Interest Group,
takes place on the fourth Thursday of the month, starting at 7:00 PM.

A beginners' session precedes, at 6:30 PM.  (Bring a Python question!)
Favorite-gotcha contest, Kent's Korner, and more this month.

____________________________________________________________________
             BOSS, an Internet search API from Yahoo
                       Presented by Ray Côté
                       
"BOSS (Build your Own Search Service) is different - it's a truly open
API with as few rules and limitations as possible. With BOSS, developers
and start-ups now have the technology and infrastructure to build next
generation search solutions that can compete head-to-head with the
principals in the search industry. BOSS will grow and evolve with a
focus on providing additional functionality, tools, and data for
developers."
  ...
"The BOSS Mashup Framework is an experimental Python library that
provides developers with tools for mashing up the BOSS API with other
third-party data sources."
    http://developer.yahoo.com/search/boss/
    
Ray Côté is President and co-Founder of Appropriate Solutions, Inc.
in Peterborough, New Hampshire.
    http://www.appropriatesolutions.com

-------------------------------------------------------------------
Kent's Korner:
   defaultdict
   
   "defaultdict is a little-known gem tucked away in the collections
   module of the standard library.  A defaultdict is a dict with a
   default value - a value that will be returned for missing keys."
   

Plus:
-------------------------------------------------------------------
o Our usual roundtable of introductions, happenings, announcements

o Data Types
    - "Towers" of them...

o Gotcha contest
    - Got a favorite "gotcha"?  Bring it and share...

And of course, milk, & cookies from Janet's kitchen.
  This month: "Mexican Wedding Balls"; and more
  
-------------------------------------------------------------------
6:30   Beginners' Q&A
7:00   Welcome, Announcements - Bill & Ted & Alex
7:10   Cookies & Milk - Janet and Alex
7:20   Favorite-gotcha contest
7:25   Impromptu lightning talk(s) - anyone
7:40   Kent's Korner - Assignments in Python, presented by Kent Johnson

8:00   BOSS - a Python-scriptable Internet search API  - Ray Côté

8:45   Open discussion; plans for next time
9:00~  Adjourn

___________________________________________________________________
About PySIG:
    PySIG meetings are typically 10-20 people, around a large table
    equipped with a projector and Internet hookups (wired and
    wireless).  We encourage laptops and a hands-on seminar style.
    The main meeting starts at 7 PM; officially we finish circa 9 PM.  
    Everyone is welcome.  ("Membership" is anyone who has an interest
    in the Python progamming language, whether on Microsoft systems
    or Linux or OS X; or cell phones, mainframes, or space stations.
    We have everyone  from object-oriented gurus to recovering COBOL
    programmers.)  Tell your friends!
    
Beginners' session:
    The half hour before the formal meeting (i.e., starting at 6:30PM)
    we have a beginners' session.  Any Python question is welcome -- 
    whoever asks the first question gets the half hour!  Questions are
    equally welcome by mail beforehand (in which case we can announce
    them) or at the meeting.  (As are all Python questions, anytime.)

Mailing list:
    http://www.dlslug.org/mailman/listinfo/python-talk

About Python:
    "Python is a dynamic object-oriented programming language that
    can be used for many kinds of software development. It offers 
    strong support for integration with other languages and tools, 
    comes with extensive standard libraries, and can be learned
    in a few days.  Many Python programmers report substantial 
    productivity gains and feel the language encourages the 
    development of higher quality, more maintainable code."

    "NASA uses Python...so does Rackspace, Industrial Light&Magic,
    AstraZeneca, Honeywell, and many others."

    Google: "Python has been an important part of Google since the
    beginning, and remains so as the system grows and evolves." 
    -Peter Norvig
    
    http://www.python.org

About Amoskeag Business Incubator:
    Our gracious hosts are the Amoskeag Business Incubator, an
    organization providing a supportive entrepreneurial environment
    that stimulates the growth of businesses to ensure economic
    vitality and encourage job creation, by providing affordable
    office space and technical assistance to early stage companies.
    PySIG thanks the ABI for their generous hospitality.
    
    http://www.abi-nh.com

_______________________________________________________________________
Directions (thanks to Ted Roche for improvements to "from the north"):
    PySIG NH meetings are held at the Amoskeag Business Incubator,
    33 South Commercial Street, Manchester, NH.

    Coming in to Manchester using I-293, from the north:
        o Use Exit 6 from I-293.  Stay to the right on the ramp,
          yield twice to traffic incoming from the left, cross back
          over I-293 and accept one merge coming in from your right.
          
        o Then get in the right lane, and stay there, over the river,
          and onto the Canal Street exit ramp.
          
        o Take the first right off Canal Street onto North Commercial
          Street.  Enjoy the scenic mill buildings as the street turns
          into Commercial Street.
          
        o Coming to the traffic light get in the middle lane.  South
          Commercial Street starts on the other side of the light.
          You go straight through (and join the folks coming from the
          south at step * below).

    Coming in to Manchester using I-293, from the south:
        o Use the Granite Street exit.  Turn right (east).  Go under
          I-293 and cross the bridge over the Merrimack River.

        o Turn right (south) at the first light after crossing the
          bridge.

        * This is South Commercial Street.  Go past one parking-lot
          entrance, turn right into the second one.  33 Commercial
          Street will be right in front of you.  You may go in via
          either the ramp or the door and three steps inside.

        o Inside.  Up the stairs if via the door.  Go through the
          glass doors - follow the diamonds on the floor.  Go left 
          at the last diamond.   (Under a sign which says 
              "<- Amoskeag Small Bus. Incubator").

        o More diamonds, another sign...  much glass and office
          space for SNHU; turn left there, 4 more diamonds and 
          you're at the glass doors for the Incubator.  An "abi"
          sign is above.

        o Through the doors, straight down the hall.  The ABI
          Conference Room is on the left.

________________________________________________________________________
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