IronPython on Ubuntu

After reading on Jimmy Schementi's weblog that IronPython, the .NET implementation of Python, is just an apt-get install ironpython away, I thought I'd give it a whirl. Here's what I got.

Huh? Maybe Microsoft took that "significant whitespace" thing a little too literally...

It turns out that IronPython really wants you to use a dark background (bug report).

Ah, so that's why the background of Jimmy's blog is black!

As you can see from the screenshot, it's also a bit difficult to quit from the Ubuntu version of IronPython. That weird symbol is a result of pressing Ctrl+D. Even Ctrl+\, which usually helps in such cases, only produces a nasty .NET CLR traceback with no ill effects to the interpreter.

On the bright side, this is a good start. IronPython seems to be more or less functional, with speed comparable to CPython, even though the example code included in Debian looks a little "heavy" (see /usr/share/doc/ironpython/Tutorial).

Europanto

This made my day! Here's an excerpt if you're too lazy to click on the link:

"Als humanos, tambien nations, after seine geborn, become bambinos und grow adult. Aber als humanos, sommige nations never become adult und necessite psychiatrico help", dixit once Sigmund Freud aan Herr Kanzelier Otto Von Bismarck attemptante de le convince que Germania eine tumultuosa puberty was traversante.
Otto Von Bismarck ignored die wise parolas des fader des psychanalyse und wat happened aan Germania next, wir know mucho well.
Die freudiana diagnose noch todag applicable und validissima est, by exemplo, por wat Grosse Britannia betreft. Eine nation die encore play mit kleine soldatos und make carnaval parades out des season, mature est suremente nicht.
Wat pushe flegmaticos aged britannicos de dresse in hooliganicos costumes und parade mit tambouros und trompettes in der nordirlandico landscape? Sicheremente eine mucho neglected mentale desease.
Eine people waar hombres can wel dress in skirts, waar animals habe more rights dann mensen, waar man drive op de wronge side des strada, must echtemente seriose problemas van personnality habe. Eine people die nicht only play cricket und darts, aber les regarde tambien op TV, bastante insane must definitamente esse.
(...)

There are more texts in this, er, language, on the Europanto main site.

Edit: fixed link