spam, eggs, foobar, IDLE, logo for newbies

[newbieAuggie2019]

If you are new to Python, and have read some classic books or even have had a look at this site, you may have probably also wondered what's all that 'spam' and 'eggs' stuff about.

Well, I'll try to explain what they are and also a few other related things.

PYTHON

Python is a programming language created by the Dutch programmer Guido van Rossum (Dutch: ['ɣido vɑn 'rɔsʏm, -səm]; born 31 January 1956) and first released in 1991. He attributes choosing the name "Python" to "being in a slightly irreverent mood (and a big fan of Monty Python's Flying Circus)".

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Python_(pr..._language)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guido_van_Rossum

Monty Python’s Flying Circus is a British surreal sketch comedy series created by and starring the comedy group Monty Python, consisting of Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Eric Idle, Terry Jones, Michael Palin and Terry Gilliam, aka the "Pythons". The first episode was recorded at the BBC on 7 September and premiered on 5 October 1969 on BBC1, with 45 episodes airing over four series from 1969 to 1974, plus two episodes for German TV.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monty_Pyth...ing_Circus

So, the name of this programming language is based on this comedy group, not on snakes, but I will go back to the snakes later on.

SPAM AND EGGS

The use of 'spam' and 'eggs' in the programming language python, comes from a very famous Monty Python’s Flying Circus sketch where two customers in a café try to order a breakfast from a menu that includes SPAM in almost every dish, even eggs, much to the consternation of one of the customers:

https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x2hwqlw

http://www.montypython.net/scripts/spamskit.php

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mBcY3W5WgNU


https://www.smithsonianmag.com/food/how-...180963916/

Spam (stylized as SPAM) is a brand of canned cooked pork made by Hormel Foods Corporation, based in Minnesota. SPAM, as made by Geo. A. Hormel & Co. was originally registered as a trademark in 1937, being a combination of the words "SPiced hAM" which was the original name. Therefore, "SPiced hAM" became SPAM. The name "SPAM" was chosen from entries in a naming contest at Hormel.  Specifically, the name was suggested by Kenneth Daigneau, who was the brother of a then Hormel Vice president. He was given $100 prize for winning the naming contest.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spam_(food)

http://www.todayifoundout.com/index.php/...k-message/

The excessive amount of Spam is a reference in the Monty Python’s sketch, to the ubiquity of it and other imported canned meat products in the United Kingdom after World War II (a period of rationing in the UK) as the country struggled to rebuild its agricultural base. Thanks to its wartime ubiquity, the British public grew tired of it. That’s why unwanted email is also called spam:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spam_(Monty_Python)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zLih-WQwBSc

FOOBAR

Maybe you have seen even here, on this site, experienced programmers using 'foo', 'bar', and 'baz' insted of 'spam' and 'eggs' to name variables or functions. It seems that the use of the names 'foo', 'bar', and 'baz' come from experienced programmers of other programming languages, and it has also a curious origin, from the military slang term FUBAR meaning "F****d/Fouled Up Beyond All Recognition/Any Repair/All Reason":

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_mi...erms#FUBAR

The term FUBAR, due to its origin, has been euphemistically changed to 'foobar' (/'fu:bɑ:r/), or 'foo', using 'bar', 'baz' and other names for other variables or functions.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foobar

https://www.altcademy.com/explain/foo-bar-baz

IDLE

While it seems that in other programming languages, a software application that provides comprehensive facilities to computer programmers for software development, is simply called an Integrated Development Environment (IDE), in python it is called IDLE (short for Integrated DeveLopment Environment or Integrated Development and Learning Environment), which is probably a wordplay, as IDLE is also the surname of Eric IDLE, one of the former members of the comedy group Monty Python:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Integrated...nvironment

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IDLE

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monty_Python

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eric_Idle

PYTHON LOGO

As I said before, the python programming language name is based on the British comedy group Monty Python, not on snakes, so why the two snakes on the python logo? It seems that probably for most young and/or not British people, python is quickly associated to the snake, not to the comedy group:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Python_(genus)


https://www.python.org/community/logos/

It appears that the python logo depicting two snakes has been designed by Tim Parking, and according to him:

"They're friendly snakes at a tadpole fancy dress competition having a'cuddle'.
[ … ]
[T]he logo is actually based on mayan representations of snakes which very often represent only the head and perhaps a short length of tail. The structure of the snake representations the natural coiling/nesting of a snake as seen side on."

https://www.thecodingforums.com/threads/...go.356848/

https://www.cafepress.com/pydotorg

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Python_(pr...rdmark.svg

So probably he has got some inspiration from images like these:


https://www.vilcek.org/collections/pre-c...rpent.html


https://www.artkhade.com/en/object/11892...ake-mexico


https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/307635


https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/hist...0528221346
https://history2701.fandom.com/wiki/Azte...etzalcoatl


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Doubl...museum.jpg


https://www.ancient-origins.net/myths-le...ya-0010355


https://steemit.com/science/@ormus/maya-...-to-may-29


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Feath...ologia.JPG

If you have also wondered or even felt confused, about these terms, I hope this little explanation has helped you, at least a bit, to clarify some things.

All the best,