ActiveState Upgrades ActivePython

ActiveState announced a version of its Python, ActivePython, with connectors to open source and proprietary databases, new GUI toolkits and secure connections.

ActiveState has announced a new version of its implementation of the Python language, ActivePython.

ActiveState, which focuses on delivering solutions for dynamic language developers using such languages as Perl, Python, and Tcl, is adding key Python open-source packages to its ActivePython Business, Enterprise, and OEM editions specifically to help enterprise developers. In essence, ActiveState is adding new GUI (Graphical User Interface) toolkits, secure connections with a wider range of proprietary and open-source databases and incorporation of core cryptographic capabilities to ensure secure, authenticated connections to databases, servers and Web services. The newly released modules include M2Crypto, PyQt, wxPython, popular database connectors for PostgreSQL, MySQL pyODBC and well-known proprietary databases. All told, these additions provide enterprise developers with popular, widely used modules for securely extending and enhancing Python development projects in the enterprise and across the cloud.

ActiveState officials said Python is used in thousands of real-world business applications around the world, including many mission critical enterprise systems. Python is extensible and has extensive standard libraries and third-party modules for virtually every enterprise task.

"Adding these key cryptographic and database modules to our ActivePython Business and Enterprise Editions extends ActiveState's world-class support coverage to these key areas, said Dianne Mueller, director of enterprise product management at ActiveState, in a statement. "This makes it even easier for enterprise customers to rapidly install, build and deploy enterprise-class applications that require secure access to their enterprise data whether they are storing it on the cloud or behind firewalls. Along with the GUI toolkits -- PyQt and wxPython -- Python developers will now find everything they need to create the intuitive and inviting interfaces that today's customers demand."

PyQt and wxPython are two of the most popular GUI Toolkits in the Python developer community. PyQt is a blending of Python programming language and Nokia's cross-platform GUI toolkit known as Qt. PyQt is useful as a rapid prototyping tool for applications. It implements around 300 classes and over 5,750 functions and methods. And along with wxPython builds for Windows 32/64, and Tkinter available on all supported platforms -- ActivePython has developers' GUI needs covered, ActiveState officials said.

Meanwhile, ActiveState has added to its list of supported databases. In addition to PostgreSQL, MySQL pyODBC and popular proprietary databases, ActivePython now includes key Python packages to connect to these popular databases: mysql-python, psycopg2, cx_Oracle, pyodbc, and pymssql.

Moreover, in today's networked world, M2Crypto is one of the primary Python tools for providing security and is the most complete Python wrapper for OpenSSL, ActiveState said. OpenSSL is a cryptographic library that provides implementations of the industry's best-regarded algorithms including encryption algorithms such as 3DES ("triple DES" - DES is that Data Encryption Standard), the Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) and RSA, as well as message digest algorithms and message authentication codes.

ActivePython Business and Enterprise Editions include service level guarantees to support business-critical systems. Using Python in the enterprise has never been so safe and so easy, ActiveState said in a press release. Comprehensive licensing agreements through ActiveState's OEM Edition enable users to redistribute ActivePython and their required modules.