Hello people. I have some questions

[Russell E. Owen]

In article <sNQi7.82$nu3.1545 at pollux.casema.net>,
 "jeroen paul goudsmit" <diedanootdie at danoot.com> wrote:

>I've heard about python and i thought that it coulb be a nice language for
>me to use. is it true that it can be used in every O.S.?
>I'm programming in vb now, and i'd like to know if python looks a little
>like it. If someone knows vb, can he translate this vb sentice into a python
>sentice: naam =   inputbox ("What's your name?", vbokonly, "Hekllo")
>Is python hard to learn? And is there a dutch person in this group? If there
>is one, can he/she tell me if there any dutch books about python.
>Could you please answer my questions?

The bad news is Python does not include an integrated GUI with a nice 
graphical builder and all that. Hence if you use Visual Basic mostly for 
simple GUIs than you may find Python a bit of a struggle. However, 
Python does talk to various GUI tool kits (as others have mentioned). 
Since it sounds like you've been doing windows programming, I recommend 
starting with wxPython (and there are some GUI builders for that, none 
of which I've used). wxPython works on under various windows and unix 
variants, and may eventually run on the Mac.

The good news is that Python is an excellent language -- both simple and 
powerful. Strengths include:
- interpreted (like Basic, unlike C), so fairly quick development cycle
- decent object implementation
- nice string handling
- nice collection classes (lists, arrays, dictionaries...)
- nice exception handling
- default parameters for subroutines
- decent namespace support, so large projects are manageable
- reasonaably self-consistent
- good included documentation

Aside from the GUI issues, I think you'll find the language much more 
pleasant than Visual Basic (based on complaints I have heard about 
clutter and lack of self-consistency in VB; I have not used the 
language).


Some alternatives include:
- RealBasic: runs on Windows and Mac, and is basically supposed to be a 
"better Visual Basic". I've not used it (but expect to start if it ever 
runs under unix).

- Smalltalk: various flavors run under most platforms. VisualWorks comes 
in a free version for noncommercial use and code runs unchanged on 
windows, unix and Mac. Dolphin is windows-only and has the best windows 
integration. Squeak is a free version that runs on everything. Smalltalk 
is wonderful -- incredibly simple yet incredibly powerful (the power 
due, in part, to the awesome included class library).

- Java: has a built in GUI system and runs on nearly everything. 
Somewhat clumsy to program in (due at least in part to strong typing, 
some clumsy language constructs and the need to compile code). Tons of 
books.

- Tcl/Tk: runs on most platforms. Simple and regular, easy to integrate 
into other applications.

I'm afraid I don't know which books are available in Dutch, but some 
surely must exist.

-- Russell