There are interoperability options abounding these days, and Python is part of the trend. On the Java side, Jython has emerged as a useful bridging mechanism. Daniel Rubio describes some basics in employing Python within Java, which can be useful for developers that may stand to benefit from Python’s aptness for expressing some logic. - JV Read more »

We had some fun on this blog a little while ago when Huw Collingbourne ably essayed on Ruby, its place in the development world, and its possible resemblance to the original Visual Basic, as a quick, productive route to application building. See Is Ruby the New VB?  .  That post elicited worthwhile comments on TheServerSide Interoperability Blog, as well as some threads on our Mother Ship, TheServerSide.com. George Lawton recently plowed through those threads, digested them, and he now offers some views thereof in the following post.  - J.V. Read more »

Python, designed to optimize programming effort, has found its own adherents. It also has found something of a home as a cross-platform language. Versions can operate with both Java and .NET. This miniguide points you to resources for Python, including Jython and IronPython implementations. Read more »

Language ‘mashups’ in .NET will become more prominent as use of the .NET DLR expands, said David Laribee. He predicts that Domain-Specific Languages (DSLs) will become more common as developers become polygots, working with many languages. So, perhaps, the DSL is “The Real Juice of the DLR… Read more »

In a Guest Blog entry, SapphireSteel Software’s Huw Collingbourne writes about Ruby for TheServerSide Interoperability blog.  The Ruby programming bandwagon is picking up speed and both Sun and Microsoft have jumped onboard, he says. In a way, Ruby embodies many of the features that made Visual Basic so successful. It is not so much what Ruby does today that is causing all the excitement - but, rather, what it might do some time soon. Read more »

From early on, Zend Technologies has been a prime driver of PHP in businesses, and its position became even more prominent when IBM, Oracle and Microsoft forged agreements with the company to further PHP platform integration. Earlier this month at its ZendCon conference, the company gave something of a progress report on its various alliances. Read more »

AJAX experts Alex Russell and Joe Walker urge browser makers to take a more active role in the AJAX community’s efforts to bring advanced features to Web applications. We caught up with them at The AJAX Experience East conference in Boston. Read more »

The list of .NET languages is getting longer. Just ahead of releasing the next version of Visual Studio, Microsoft development tool vice president Soma Somasegar announced that his division will work with Microsoft Research to integrate the F# language into Visual Studio. F# is a  project that looks to exploit functional programming techniques. Read more »