Delphi underrated, IDE clues for Python

[Caleb Hattingh]

I have been using Delphi 6 at work for several years now (python where I  
can squeeze it in!).

As a programming environment, Delphi is *awesome*.  Sure, it's statically  
typed.  Sure, it's proprietry. Sure, it is Windows-based.

BUT as an IDE, the Delphi environment is amazing.  What I want in a Python  
IDE is the Delphi ide, but with python as the language.  The  
*code-insight*, code/class completion, integrated debugging, integrated  
help, and *incredibly* fast GUI design is a killer combination.  We  
actually use Delphi mostly for numerical stuff (chemical reactor  
modelling), and find its runtime speed is pretty good.  The other amazing  
thing is that Delphi exhibits the fastest compilation I have seen in a  
native optimising compiler.  Working with it is almost like working in an  
interpreter.

So why is my wish to use Python if I think Delphi is so great?

Because Python is dynamic and compact while still easy to read (although  
decorators have curbed my enthusiasm a little).  Python is just a better  
language.  ObjectPascal syntax is very verbose (compared to Python).  The  
Delphi IDE minimizes this issue to great extent with several  
code-completion mechanisms, but I tried to use FPC several days ago  
(without Lazarus), and couldn't type up a simple unit without referring  
the docs - After having used Delphi for 5 years!  I was 80% productive in  
Python after reading the tutorial *once* (but probably not with the most  
optimal code).

STILL...Having a Delphi-like IDE for Python would make me giddy.    I know  
there are several ever-improving options out there already...I guess I am  
waiting to see which one floats to the surface.  I also tend to want to  
use Tk because it is the 'standard' while the more exciting work seems to  
be with the other toolkits, wx, GTK, etc.   I am keen to see what becomes  
of Tk3000 though.

Thanks
Caleb



On Thu, 25 Nov 2004 20:11:47 -0800, Tim Roberts <timr at probo.com> wrote:

> Carlos Ribeiro <carribeiro at gmail.com> wrote:
>>
>> I think that Delphi is *so* underated when it comes to language &
>> framework design... Delphi suffered from a couple of problems; first,
>> it was Pascal's child, and not C; also, because it was a proprietary
>> project, owned by a single company.
>>
>> For some reason, being a Pascal descendant was regarded as a big "no"
>> by a huge part of the industry, not to mention academia, that was at
>> that time fascinated with the prospect of C++. I wonder what could
>> have happened if Delphi (maybe with another name -- P++ anyone?) was
>> widely adopted instead of C++ for big projects...
>
> You are absolutely correct.  I have never understood the industry  
> prejudice
> against Delphi.  The code is just as efficient as the typical C compiler.
> GUI design in the IDE has always been easier in Delphi than in Visual
> Studio.  VCL is easier to understand than MFC