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| 55 | <H1><A NAME="SECTION001000000000000000000"></A><A NAME="front"></A> |
| 56 | <BR> |
| 57 | Front Matter |
| 58 | </H1> |
| 59 | |
| 60 | <P> |
| 61 | Copyright © 2001-2004 Python Software Foundation. |
| 62 | All rights reserved. |
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| 65 | Copyright © 2000 BeOpen.com. |
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| 69 | Copyright © 1995-2000 Corporation for National Research Initiatives. |
| 70 | All rights reserved. |
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| 73 | Copyright © 1991-1995 Stichting Mathematisch Centrum. |
| 74 | All rights reserved. |
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| 77 | See the end of this document for complete license and permissions |
| 78 | information. |
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| 81 | |
| 82 | <H3>Abstract:</H3> |
| 83 | <DIV CLASS="ABSTRACT"> |
| 84 | |
| 85 | <P> |
| 86 | Python is an interpreted, object-oriented, high-level programming |
| 87 | language with dynamic semantics. Its high-level built in data |
| 88 | structures, combined with dynamic typing and dynamic binding, make it |
| 89 | very attractive for rapid application development, as well as for use |
| 90 | as a scripting or glue language to connect existing components |
| 91 | together. Python's simple, easy to learn syntax emphasizes |
| 92 | readability and therefore reduces the cost of program |
| 93 | maintenance. Python supports modules and packages, which encourages |
| 94 | program modularity and code reuse. The Python interpreter and the |
| 95 | extensive standard library are available in source or binary form |
| 96 | without charge for all major platforms, and can be freely distributed. |
| 97 | |
| 98 | <P> |
| 99 | This reference manual describes the syntax and ``core semantics'' of |
| 100 | the language. It is terse, but attempts to be exact and complete. |
| 101 | The semantics of non-essential built-in object types and of the |
| 102 | built-in functions and modules are described in the |
| 103 | <em class="citetitle"><a |
| 104 | href="../lib/lib.html" |
| 105 | title="Python Library Reference" |
| 106 | >Python Library Reference</a></em>. For an |
| 107 | informal introduction to the language, see the |
| 108 | <em class="citetitle"><a |
| 109 | href="../tut/tut.html" |
| 110 | title="Python Tutorial" |
| 111 | >Python Tutorial</a></em>. For C or |
| 112 | C++ programmers, two additional manuals exist: |
| 113 | <em class="citetitle"><a |
| 114 | href="../ext/ext.html" |
| 115 | title="Extending and Embedding the Python |
| 116 | Interpreter" |
| 117 | >Extending and Embedding the Python |
| 118 | Interpreter</a></em> describes the high-level picture of how to write a Python |
| 119 | extension module, and the <em class="citetitle"><a |
| 120 | href="../api/api.html" |
| 121 | title="Python/C API |
| 122 | Reference Manual" |
| 123 | >Python/C API |
| 124 | Reference Manual</a></em> describes the interfaces available to |
| 125 | C/C++ programmers in detail. |
| 126 | |
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| 167 | <span class="release-info">Release 2.4.2, documentation updated on 28 September 2005.</span> |
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