Why Does It Always Have to be Snakes?

In this case, actually, it's a python. Or Python, to give it the proper name. It's a programming language, and I'm going to try to teach it to myself. For some time, I've been wondering if there is a language that works under Windows (which I guess knocks out many of the cool languages, not that I'd understand them anyway), is straightforward to learn (because, truth to tell, I was never that great a programmer at my best, and I'm a long way from my best, these days), and can be used to do text manipulation. The specific task I have in mind is to take in a text file, alter it (adding some records, deleting others, merging or otherwise altering still others), and then put it out. A decent programmer could do it like that, but as I say, I'm not. The closest language that I know that can be used for that kind of thing is Rexx, and although there are PC versions, I've never had much luck with them. But the other day I saw an article about a comparison of Rexx and Python in the area of string handling, and I thought Hmmm..... plus, its a free download. So last night I did that, and today I'm looking at it. It sort-of feels like Java or C++ (again, that's to my neophyte eyes; a decent programmer might gasp and splutter at that observation), but simpler. We'll see.

I've mentioned that I occasionally give thought to whether its time to retire (why does that sound like a line out of a drawing room comedy? And where did the phrase 'drawing room' come from, anyway?). Usually, these thoughts are most frequent when I'm being reminded that the group I work in is the one that's generally charged with Maintaining Logical Security; not exactly, but close enough. As I told someone the other day, I'm a security atheist. Actually, it occurred to me later, a better phrase would be a security agnostic; I do believe in the need, but not the specific manifestations that I see. Either way, its not an image that goes over very well with the guy who manages my group. We've had Discussions. Well, the other day, I received an email from a woman whose sole job, so far as I can tell, is to ride herd on other people as they do things to make auditors happy. None of these things in any way has value for making the company more profitable, or better at what it makes. Its all audit stuff. In the last line of her breathless email, she said that it was very important to do what she wanted done quickly, so that we 'could maintain an audit readiness posture'. Yeah, I've got your posture right here.

We acquired a book for my daughter the other day - a friend had recommended it to her, and so she wanted to read it. Picked it up late yesterday, and she glommed onto it. Finished it late last night. One hundred twenty pages. No pictures. I love seeing her find things that she likes to read.