The Stack Overflow Podcast Python: Come for the language, stay for the community
Aug 8, 2025
Paul Everitt, a developer advocate at JetBrains and an early adopter of Python, dives into the fascinating journey of Python's evolution. He reflects on its humble beginnings and pivotal moments that shaped its growth alongside the internet. The discussion highlights the impact of leadership within the community, notably Guido Van Rossum's guiding role. Innovations like async programming and type hinting are spotlighted, showcasing Python's competitiveness in modern tech landscapes. The strong community spirit and its significance in academia and data science are celebrated.
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Early Python Adoption Story
- Paul Everitt became involved with Python through early internet work in the Navy in the early 1990s.
- He rejected other scripting languages like Perl and Bash, finding Python's tutorial perfectly suited to his way of thinking.
Python’s Early Perception
- In the early 90s, Python was considered just a scripting language and often treated as a toy language.
- The internet surge helped Python take off as a valuable scripting tool despite the pejorative attitude.
Python Bridges Non-Programmers to Power
- Python's growth initially came from wrapping large C libraries making industrial strength code accessible.
- This eased problems solving for non-programmers, a trait echoed later in Python's role in AI and data science.