Python Bytes

#418 I'm a tea pot

Jan 27, 2025

The show opens with a heartfelt tribute to Michael Foord, a key figure in the Python community. Listeners will discover Valkey, a powerful open-source alternative to Redis. The hosts dive into 30 software development best practices, highlighting simplicity and proper code maintenance. They also discuss cautious mocking in testing and managing MIME types for web projects. Lastly, they celebrate Python's milestones while playfully discussing the quirky HTTP status code 418.

20:22

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Quick takeaways

The podcast honors Michael Foord, emphasizing his significant contributions to Python, including the creation of the mock library and the Language Summit at PyCon.

It introduces Valky as a promising open-source alternative to Redis, offering high-performance in-memory caching without licensing concerns for developers.

Deep dives

Remembering Michael Ford

The episode pays tribute to Michael Ford, a core Python developer known for his significant contributions to the unit test library and the mock library, which eventually became part of Python's standard library. Ford's legacy includes initiating pivotal events like the Language Summit at PyCon and influencing software development practices. A heartfelt discussion reveals the mixed emotions surrounding his passing, highlighting the personal impact he had on the community despite not everyone having had the chance to know him closely. His innovative thinking and dedication to Python testing methodologies were remembered fondly, alongside a call to share positive memories of his life and contributions.

Intro

4min

Exploring Valkey: An Open-Source Alternative to Redis

4min

Essential Best Practices for Software Development

3min

Testing Practices and MIME Type Management in Web Development

5min

Celebrating Python's Milestones and A Quirky HTTP Status Code

4min

Topics covered in this episode:

In memoriam: Michael Foord 1974-2025
Valkey (Redis Replacement)
30 best practices for software development and testing
mimetype.io
Extras
Joke

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About the show

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Connect with the hosts

Michael: @mkennedy@fosstodon.org / @mkennedy.codes (bsky)
Brian: @brianokken@fosstodon.org / @brianokken.bsky.social
Show: @pythonbytes@fosstodon.org / @pythonbytes.fm (bsky)

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Brian #1: In memoriam: Michael Foord 1974-2025

Guido van Rossum and others
We’ve just lost Michael Foord this last weekend.
From Guido:
- “Michael, an original thinker if there ever was one, started the tradition of having Language Summit events at PyCon, IIRC together with Barry Warsaw. He also wrote and contributed the influential mock library. … “
- “PS. Feel free to post your own (positive) memories of meeting Michael – perhaps his children (10 and 13) will read them when they’re older and this thread might help them remember their father.”
I’ve added my memories. I think this is a great (and small) way to honor him.
My friend Michael - Nicholas Tolervey
After 5 years of trying, I did get an interview with Michael. I wish I’d have gotten that followup.
- Test & Code episode with Michael, ep 145, “For those about to mock”

Michael #2: Valkey (Redis Replacement)

Thanks Calvin HP
An open source (BSD) high-performance key/value datastore that supports a variety of workloads such as caching, message queues.
Can act as a primary database.
Valkey can run as either a standalone daemon or in a cluster, with options for replication and high availability.
Valkey natively supports a rich collection of datatypes, including strings, numbers, hashes, lists, sets, sorted sets, bitmaps, hyperloglogs and more.
You can operate on data structures in-place with an expressive collection of commands.

Brian #3: 30 best practices for software development and testing

Michael Foord (from 2017)
Some gems
- 1 - YAGNI
- 6 - Unit tests test to the unit of behavior, not the unit of implementation.
- 8 - Code is the enemy: It can go wrong, and it needs maintenance. Write less code. Delete code. Don’t write code you don’t need.
- 15 - The more you have to mock out to test your code, the worse your code is.
- and so many more …

Michael #4: mimetype.io