A Good Mix 7: JScript, Silverlight, Pyke and more

Another selection of IronPython and DLR related postings culled from the blogosphere in the last few weeks.

• Managed JScript (Bastard, red-headed step-child in the DLR)

Managed JScript is an implementation of Javascript built on the Dynamic Language Runtime that shipped with Silverlight. It was touted as being useful for porting Javascript client-side code to work with Silverlight. It was only ever released in binary form and hasn't been maintained. In this blog entry the Frugal Coder laments the situation:

I'm a Developer, I build Web Applications, and have for well over a decade now, and I love Javascript. I find the DLR compelling, and really want to see the Javascript implementation treated like a first class citizen. Give me code, samples and howtos. I'm going down this path anyhow, and would rather not do it alone.

• Running Pyke in IronPython

Pyke is a very interesting looking Python project: "Pyke introduces a form of Logic Programming (inspired by Prolog) to the Python community by providing a knowledge-based inference engine (expert system) written in 100% Python."

This blog entry goes through what it takes to get Pyke running on IronPython; running the towers of hanoi example.

• One Shell to Rule Them All (and in the darkness bind them)

Python is fantastic for scripting and system administration tasks, but in the .NET world Powershell got there first. This blog entry has an interesting take on which you should use:

Were it not for the fact that Powershell is as intuitive as Linear B, it would be game over. As it is, IronPython and IronRuby remain interesting alternatives. They make the scripting process far simpler, and the syntax is much closer to the type of programming language that DBAs are used to. They become even more attractive when one considers the versatility of the .NET Dynamic Language Runtime (DLR), which allows you to plug IronPython or IronRuby into your .NET applications, call C# methods and so on. Maybe, with these DLR-based languages, we really are moving closer to achieving the dream of all DBAs: one scripting language to do everything. However, your Sysamin will loathe them as he will be engrossed in the extended culture-shock of having to redo all his favourite scripts in Powershell.

• The IronPython presentation, it's here

An IronPython presentation by Guiseppe Turitto:

Last night (March 19th), I had the chance to give a speech about IronPython at the .NET users group New York. First thing, I have to say Thank You, to the .NET UG-NY leader’s, for the opportunity, and thank you to my fellows at the .NET UG-NY for attending.

Anyway for all of those that ask me for a copy of the slides, you can get them here together with the source code for the demos.

• Silverlight & IronPython "Hello World"

The obligatory non-English entry, this is a simple "Hello World" example using IronPython and XAML in Silverlight. It is great fun to program the browser in Python through Silverlight. I'm not a big fan of XAML (an XML dialect for describing user interfaces) but its ok if someone else does it... (Anything that can be done from XAML can be done from code - but there are occasions when the XAML is actually less verbose.)