It makes a CSV record of the connection status for tracking downtimes by ISP

downtime_recorder.py

import os
import datetime

def update_needed(status):
    check_for = "UP"
    if status == False:
        check_for = "DOWN"
    f = open("data.csv", "r")
    lastLine = ""
    currentLine = f.readline()
    while currentLine:
        lastLine = currentLine.strip()
        currentLine = f.readline()
    data = lastLine.split(',')
    f.close()
    if len(data) == 2:
        if data[1] == check_for:
            return False
    return True

def record(status):
    if update_needed(status):
        f = open("data.csv","a+")
        date_str = datetime.datetime.now().strftime("%d-%m-%Y %I:%M:%S %p")
        f.seek(0, 2)
        f.write(date_str)
        f.write(',')
        if status == True:
            f.write('UP\n')
        else:
            f.write("DOWN\n")
            f.close()
        print("data written")
    print("processing done")

def check_ping():
    hostname = "google.com"
    response = os.system("ping -c 1 " + hostname)
    return response


if check_ping() == 0:
    # ping success, record it now
    record(True)
else:
    # Could not ping, record it now 
    record(False)