Python Popularity: Questions and Comments

[robin at brainexeculink.com]

rcena at epcor.ca (Resty Cena) wrote:

>Whichever can provide what it is that VB
>developers like about VB on top of what Python and Ruby natively offer
>will hit the jackpot. To me these are: (a) Visual drag-and-drop
>application builder with data aware controls, and (b) good support for
>the big databases (Oracle, Sybase, Informix).

Yes.

Snap-in database support -- not only for the big databases but for
lightweight solutions as well -- makes VB popular. And it's a big
reason people use PHP (to wander into another branch of this thread). 

Python needs standard database modules with a high degree of interface
conformance -- more than what the current DB API provides. And these
need to *work*. I can't tell you how much time our company wasted
looking for the best PostgreSQL interface, for example.

Since I'm talking databases, I wish someone with more time and brains
than I would pick up the Gadfly project and bring it up to date. We
need a pure Python SQL database. That too would help "sell" the
language.

As far as GUIs go, either Boa Constructor or something like the anygui
project has the potential to be the Python "killer app". 

A third application domain that needs to grow in maturity and
standardisation is server-side web pages. Not everyone wants to write
their own framework (though I have). There should be an out-of-the-box
module that easily integrates Python with Apache and takes care of
most of the dirty work.

Standardisation is more important than sophistication.

I would love for all the brilliant Python contributors to stop right
here at version 2.2 and put all their talents into these three areas.
The core language is just fine, thank you. The existing modules are
mostly very good. What is needed are database, gui, and web components
to turn this language into a full development package.

The payoff would be immense.

>With VB.NET, VB
>programmers will ask, "What's the point?" Might as well dive into C#.

I did precisely one project in VB way back in version 2-3 days. It
didn't take me very long to say "What's the point?" Then I went out
and bought some C++ books. [shudder]

VB is popular even though it doesn't work. PHP is popular even though
it works in a small domain. But both products work "well enough".
That's the key.

Python does not yet work "well enough" in the most common problem
domains. It requires too much wheel re-invention.

-----
robin
robin at brainexeculink.com
(remove "brain" to reply)