[DB-SIG] frustrations of extension building

[coupet00]

Hi

I've been struggling to build extensions from installation instructions.The
goal was to produce a working Oracle 8 interface for Python for Windows. I'm
sure that there must be load-and-go binaries out there, but all I can find
are tempting (and necessary) extensions, which are just beyond my reach, and
that of my team.

I come from a Delphi background, and have found that Python is indeed the
"best thing since sliced bread" as far as development languages go. However,
I've experienced days of frustration as the product requires me to become an
extension builder if I want to access an Oracle system from windows, say -
surely there's a standard set of ODBC drivers that exist in binary form for
Windows?   Then I find that the installation instructions don't handle
exceptions well - in other words, if the build result isn't what the
installation instructions say, then one is stuck!

Presumably, I am not unique in this respect, but represent a class of
developer for whom Python should be a natural progression (ie application
developers and architects). However, one can't go very  far in applications
without database interfaces. Or maybe my expectations of Python is wrong.

I'd be interested if others have had the same experience, and what they did
to move on...

Thanks

Tim

Dr Tim Couper