A client has expressed interest in using the cross-platform Qt GUI library, in particular with the PyQt bindings, so I began exploring it and the tools that are available, including BlackAdder, which is recommended in the book "GUI Programming with Python: Using the Qt Toolkit" by Boudewijn Rempt.

I've made some modifications to simplify and improve usability. This is also delivered by a single-click fast server. This will be the final version unless bugs are discovered.

(Closed) See Beta 3.

Registration for this Open Space conference is now open.

(Closed) See Beta3.

I'm now ready to beta test the "Thinking in C: Foundations for Java and C++" e-seminar, but I need a place that can handle the downloads.

Based on the success of last week's conference, I'm starting to plan the "Thinking in Java" conference for July. In particular, I need to set the dates.

I continue to be amazed at how insanely great OpenSpace conferences are with so little effort on my part. Certainly, I provide structure, but most of that occurs in the first half hour and then I become a participant. As always seems to happen with OpenSpaces, I got so much more out of this event than I ever imagined.

A response to Guido's discussion about marketing Python, and some observations about the issues that have come up.

The second part of the Java Posse's interview with me is up.

Part one of the Java Posse interview with me is now available.

I often get questions, mostly from Java programmers, about IDEs for Python. In Java there's so much finger-typing that the language wouldn't be feasible without an auto-completion IDE, so it makes sense that a Java programmer would want one when using Python. And they exist, but I don't know many who use them.

The last time I paid any attention to Groovy was when Mike Spille blogged about it, and when the Bile Blog chimed in (links below). Basically they wrote off the project (albeit giving lots of details about why). But recently the Java Posse talked about it in slightly different tones, so it made me start wondering.

On previous road trips, I've been able to fill my driving time by listening to ITConversations, but I ran out. So I started looking, via iTunes, for other podcasts that were IT based. There are plenty, and some are quite good.

I've put up the page for Thinking in Java, fourth edition. On it you can find a sample including the first 7 chapters, the source code and installation instructions, and links to sites which are taking orders for the book.