Python Tricks

Linux users can automate almost any task, but whether the automation is worth your time depends on how much time you have to spend on it. The easier and more efficient the language, the greater the variety of tasks you can cost-effectively automate. Linux offers a dizzying array of scripting alternatives, but a favorite for many users is the powerful and practical Python. This month’s cover story examines Python in the Linux environment. Our cover story starts with a look at how to start creating your own practical Python scripts. In the lead article, “Hello, Python: Getting started with Python in Linux,” expert sys admin Æleen Frisch, author of the perennial O’Reilly bestseller Essential System Administration, explores the Python language through a series of well-annotated examples.