We’ve got to look at the forces around the world sometimes. Google was primarily built on Python code. They happen to acquire the guy who started Python, Guido van Rossum, and now a very important project of Google, Google App Engine, is allowing people to build web apps using Python.

I used Python for a couple of projects myself and I agree, it’s a wonderful language. The semantic and the design of it make it really enjoyable to write from scratch, manage and expand from. It is however not as spread as PHP when it comes to web.

The fact that Google has chosen Python from the start and publishes a beta of such an important project (App Engine) using Python is a very interesting turn of events. The primary position of Google and its strategic position for the future of web developers (think google code) is going to be a huge boost for Python as a web development language.

Seeing the speed at which google sets up their own WIFI network around the world and their dominating position on the web (regardless of their not being evil motto), this is clearly making a statement.

Before it was: “we trust Python to be the answer to our problems”,
now it is: “we trust Python to be the new universal answer to your problems”.

I understand that Google App Engine will eventually support a multitude of languages but the launch of a beta with only Python available demonstrates their will to push Python as the new reference for web development. See more here. When you throw a long awaited beta to a gezillion thirsty nerds, it will push them to use Python and sets the momentum in a clear direction.

Is this the push Python needed to make it compete with PHP when it comes to web application development?

Is this a change in history, Google telling us what to use?

I’ve been looking for this for god knows long… Great, and free SQL Designer. Usability could be better but it does the job very well!

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Further to our review of the Hobnox’s Online TV application, Hobnox recently launched an online music tool. Based on a similar interface concept as Reason, users are able to use virtual drum machines, effects pads and a 12 channel mixer to sequence some music. Similar to Reason, the system is really easy to use. Instruments look and behave just like analogue equipment and you can chain the audio inputs and outputs. It’s good fun. Also, the instruments look very cool!

Check it out.

Fontstruct is a font building application that lets you design your own fonts. You paint with ‘bricks’ into a grid. The interface is quite similar to pixel editing or image editing software, with quite similar but more simplistic tools. You built letters up one at a time, and it’s all very simple and intuitive to use, if a little visually flat. Once you have designed a true type font is generated and published on the site, allowing you to share your creation.

While now where near as powerful as dedicated font generation applications, the gallery of fonts made on the site is quite impressive, and it’s evident that while being simple, the application does allow you to create very unique and fun typefaces. I like xtrude myself.

Overall, it’s a fun little app for a while but not particularly useful. The execution was pretty effective, but nothing to write home about. Imagine if this site had come out a few years ago when absolutely everyone was pixel font mad!

Adobe had to release along the lines of picnik. It makes sense. They own both technologies (Flex/Photoshop) and therefore had the tools to make something super-great.

The result? Not so bad, but I don’t think that it’s a direct competitor to Picnik for example, another online photo editor, previously seen here.

Photoshop Express is a quick way to adjust the crop, hue, saturation, tint and the like. And it does it really well.

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