PyCon 2004 -- Mitch Kapor, founder of the Open Source Application Foundation, will be the keynote speaker at this year's PyCon, a community-oriented conference for developers. PyCon gives you opportunities to learn about advances in Python development, participate in a "programming sprint" with some of the leading minds in open source, and meet fellow developers from around the world. PyCon is March 24-26, 2004 in Washington, D.C. Register today.

Safari Gets Bigger and Better -- There are now more than 2,000 books from the industry's leading technical publishers available on Safari Bookshelf. As the library grows, so does its functionality: searches are powerfully precise and as broad or specific as you wish; and now, with a Safari Max subscription, you can download chapters to read offline. Safari will help you save time, reduce errors, keep current, and save more money than ever with up to 35% off print copies of your favorite books. If you haven't yet gone on Safari, try a free trial subscription.

When Pythons Attack: Common Mistakes of Python Programmers -- In this article, Mark Lutz chronicles some of the most common programming and coding mistakes made by both new and veteran Python programmers, to help you avoid making them in your own work. Mark is a coauthor of Learning Python, 2nd Edition.

Installing Python from Source Code -- Have you been wanting to try Python? Chapter 2 of Python in a Nutshell includes a step-by-step guide that shows you where to get the code, and covers installation, configuration, building, testing, and more. Get a free trial to read this and four other O'Reilly books on Safari.

Why Python? If you're considering another scripting language, consider Python, an object-oriented scripting language that mixes the software engineering features of traditional languages with the usability of scripting languages. Chapter 1 of Learning Python lists all the reasons you should give it a try. Get a free trial to read this and four other O'Reilly books on Safari.

Five Habits for Successful Regular Expressions -- Tony Stubblebine shows how to avoid a lot of trial and error in your regular expression development by adopting these five habits, applicable to nearly any regex implementation. Tony is the author of Regular Expression Pocket Reference.

Guido van Rossum Speaks -- Guido van Rossum, creator of the Python programming language, recently announced that he'll be leaving PythonLabs to work for a California startup. In this interview, Guido talks about the move, recent developments, and Python in general.

How Python Grips the Enterprise, Part 2 -- In the second half of Alex Martelli's interview with Open Enterprise Trends, Alex talks about how commercial developers of any stripe (Java, ASP.NET, Win32, C++) can best get started with the Python scripting language. He also offers practical tips for your own starter project. Alex is the author of the recently released Python in a Nutshell.

Python Success Stories: Eight True Tales of Flexibility, Speed, and Improved Productivity -- The future looks bright for Python. O'Reilly's collection of stories about successful Python-powered projects makes it easy to see why Python isn't just a scripting language; it is being used more and more in projects of all sizes, in all application areas. Download a copy of Python Success Stories (PDF).

Interview: How Python Grips the Enterprise -- In this Open Enterprise Trends interview with Alex Martelli, Alex talks about how Python scripting can make your current application components more easily shareable with other applications. Alex is a coauthor of Python Cookbook.

Sift, Stir, Code: O'Reilly Cookbooks -- Looking for the right ingredients to solve a programming problem? Look no further than O'Reilly Cookbooks. Each cookbook contains hundreds of programming recipes presented in a special Problem/Solution/Discussion format, and includes hundreds of scripts, programs, and command sequences you can use to solve specific dilemmas. Get your daily recipes and view our complete list of Programming Cookbooks for Geeks.