An introduction to network programming the Python way [book review]

This article is a review of the book, \´Foundations of Python Network Programming\´ by John Goerzen, published by Apress, 2004. The book covers the standard Python distribution\´s client protocol implementations-such as HTTP, DNS (Domain Name System), SMTP (Simple Mail-Transfer Protocol), FTP, POP (Post Office Protocol), IMAP (Internet Message Access Protocol), and XML-RPQ and server frameworks (for "out of the box" HTTP and XML-RPC servers). The Database Clients chapter admirably introduces DB-API 2.0, the Python equivalent of Java database connectivity or open database connectivity. Other chapters explain Python interfaces to the Secure Sockets Layer, HTML/XML parsing, and the mod_python Apache module, as well as more advanced network programming topics such as IPv6 support, multithreaded servers, and nonblocking 1/0. The book also incorporates third-party networking libraries such as Twisted and PyDNS. Each chapter\´s text thoroughly explains the code samples, which are far more comprehensive than in the standard documentation. The reviewer feels that the book complements other introductory texts.