Python/C++ for graphics vs. other languages?

[Cameron Laird]

In article <mailman.980225485.12027.python-list at python.org>,
Mark Wilson <m.wilson at bibliocraft.com> wrote:
>Doug Ball said
>
>>I am very much enjoying learning and applying python,
>however I find myself tasked with writing a potentially
>large graphics intensive program that will we speed
>sensitive.
>
>>I would be grateful if any of you could share your
>experiences with hybrid Python/C++ approaches to such
>applications vs. using compiled high-level languages like
>Dylan, Common Lisp or Objective Caml.
>
>If you want to use Python as your user-interface glue - say
>to control the graphics transformations your app can
>perform, then I think you'll find it exceptionally
>acceptable. In this capacity, success depends on how well
			.
		[an abundance of other wisdom]
			.
			.
Yes.  Everything Mr. Wilson has written is
correct and applicable.

I want to add a few remarks.  Dylan, Common
Lisp, and OCaML are great languages.  You
might have specific requirements that make
any of these ideal.  Part of our confidence
in urging Python on you, though, is that even
for the situations where, say, OCaML is per-
fect, a well-crafted Python solution is likely
to lie only a small multiple away.

"... [A] potentially large graphics intensive
program that will be speed sensitive ..."
covers a great deal of territory.  We can give
more precise advice with more precise know-
ledge, of course.

Python enjoys a range of GUI toolkit choices
<URL: http://starbase.neosoft.com/~claird/comp.lang.python/py_GUI.html >
that is essentially unmatched.  This contrasts
sharply with, say, Dylan.  I have zero idea
whether this matters in your particular project.
Incidentally, I'm just now wrapping up a series
<URL: http://starbase.neosoft.com/~claird/comp.windows.misc/toolkits.html >
of profiles of the leading general-purpose GUI
toolkits; this might be useful to you at some
point.

I'll make it explicit:  performance of a good
interpreted Python GUI toolkit binding is
indistinguishable from that of the compiled
functional language GUI toolkits, for the
majority of common applications.  It's impos-
sible to know whether you're in the category
of projects where there's a significant differ-
ence, in the absence of more details.
-- 

Cameron Laird <claird at NeoSoft.com>
Business:  http://www.Phaseit.net
Personal:  http://starbase.neosoft.com/~claird/home.html