[CREATE] LGM 2010: sponsoring

ricardo lafuente bollecs at sollec.org
Fri Feb 19 08:19:48 PST 2010


On 2/16/10 15:07 , Stani wrote:
> On Tue, Feb 16, 2010 at 1:45 PM, a.l.e<ale.comp_06 at xox.ch>  wrote:
>> hi femke&&  stani
>>
>>> Besides shoebot and phatch, which other projects
>>> present at LGM2010 are relevant you think?
>>>
>>
>> mypaint (developed in python: martin plans to attend) and scribus (uses
>> python for its scripts: i don't think there is any doubt that the whole
>> scribus community will be there :-)...
>>
>> eventually nathive (is being ported to python, but there is no release
>> ever, except some alpha code; i'm not sure, either, wether marcos will
>> really come to lgm: but he showed some interest in attending)
>
> Besides the projects ale lists there is also sk1, fonty python, ... is
> also written completely in Python. AFAIK, a lot more (if not most)
> libre graphics software uses Python for scripting or API: Blender,
> Inkscape, Gimp, GEGL, Krita, ... Joao gave a talk
> about this two years ago.
>
> The fact that Python is used so widely in LGM rather than any other
> scripting language should make it interesting for the PSF, not one or
> two applications. What could help is to have a list of projects which
> use Python and which need sponsoring for travel costs.
>
> Best regards,
>
> Stani
>

I've put together a small wrap-up of the points that came up in this 
thread, as well as looking for the projects that can be mentioned in the 
PSF application. Sorry if the language is a bit on the marketing-ish 
side, but maybe this can help when putting the arguments forward.

1. Projects which are written in, or rely on, Python

Many popular FLOSS graphics projects are integrally written in Python,
and many of them have been showcased and supported by LGM: sK1, PiTiVi,
MyPaint, Phatch, Fonty Python, FontTools, Nathive, Things, Shoebot.

Python is also the scripting language for the 'big three' -- GIMP,
Inkscape and Scribus. Besides these, there's Blender, Fontforge,
Fontmatrix, GEGL, Krita and exiv2, all of which use Python in a
significant way, either as a scripting language or by providing bindings
to their API's. In LGM 2008 there was even a talk dedicated to Python in
Gimp, given by João S.O. Bueno. OSP have also provided a number of
HOWTOs and reports on using Python in real-world projects in their
website.


2. Python for designers and students

The tight relationship between Python and FLOSS graphics applications,
combined with LGM's emphasis in bridging the gaps between developers and
users, makes Python an ever-increasingly relevant asset for designers
and artists to get acquainted with. LGM, by supporting those projects
and encouraging interaction between the authors and their audience -- 
and usually blurring that boundary --, has been the most significant 
venue for that blending to happen.

The easy extensibility of one's workflow provided by Python scripting is
one straightforward plus; furthermore, Python is more and more present
in educational curricula as the language of choice to introduce students
to programming, as is the case at the Piet Zwart Institute, one of the
supporters of LGM 2010.

Finally, applications like Shoebot and Nodebox are aimed at designers
who want to use code to find new possibilities in their work, using
Python and providing many introductory learning materials, more often
than not helping beginners to dive into more advanced uses of Python.


[As a final note that just occurred to me: Stani's wonderful work with 
the award-winning Dutch commemorative coin is also a point worth 
mentioning. I'm not sure how much of the process involved Python, but 
nevertheless it's a good example that FLOSS graphics are definitely 
'serious business' and not just a niche field where nerds gather, which 
is still a common perception from my experience.]

:r


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