The Python Challenge Awaits!

You think you're ready for a challenge, do you? Good, because this is the place! Demonstrate your Python mastery with one of the following Useless Challenges. Anything you can code is good enough for Useless Python (It should run, of course.), but the Useless Challenges are here to jog your creativity if you think you've run out of ideas. Solutions will be posted to Useless Python with this Python Challenge signature image: to indicate the worthiness of the coder.

Some of these could be done by an inexperienced coder without causing a terminal brain lockup, but intermediate coders should find some food for though here, as well. You can hack a solution together if you like, and your solution doesn't have to be the *best* solution.

If you can think of any interesting Challenges to add to the list, you are welcome to send them our way for posting on the list. Send solutions or new challenges to: Useless. Challenges on this page displaying the Python Challenge signature image have been solved and posted on Useless Python.

If you have already sent in a script that you feel solves one of the Challenges, let me know so you can be credited.

What the images mean:

Image:	Meaning:
	Challenge Solved!
	Unsolved Challenge!

Your Quest Is At Hand!

Status:	Challenge:
	Chat application that does not require a central server. Two clients on separate machines on the same network or on the Internet should be able to initiate chats with each other. For bonus points, the chat clients have a GUI front end and/or employ some simple form of encryption (Rot 13 or better).
	App opens a comma-delimited file with the first row consisting of field names and each following row consisting of one record per line (sample available for download) and performs one or more of the following actions: 1) sort the records alphabetically by State, 2) remove exact duplicate records, or 3) convert the file into a different format and save the converted file under a different name.
	App retrieves system or directory information of your choice on the operating system of your choice, parses the output, and generates a simple report from it. Print the report to stdout or to a file.
	Simple calculator app with a GUI front end.
	Simple personal finance tracking app. We're not talking about a commercial package here, so don't think you have to reverse-engineer Quicken.
	Simple personal organizer with some of the following features: address book, todo list, notes, common conversions, calendar, etc.
	CGI capable of any of the following: 1) user can browse a file from his/her computer and send a copy somewhere else, 2) accept user input and send it via email, 3) anything interesting at all.
	Web versions of any of the Useless Challenges.
	Artificial Intelligence program (doesn't have to pass the Turing test).
	Generate or parse an XML document.
	Extract email addresses from a text file containing more than just email addresses.
	A game of any kind.
	App that fetches a file from a remote web server and parses it in an interesting or useless way.
	An IDE (Integrated Development Environment) for Python!
	A KISS viewer.

by Rob Andrews