Can Python replace Visual Basic? Should it?...and generalities :)

[Brad Bollenbach]

Unfortunately this thread is leading to exactly what I've seen in the past:
general answers, often by people that haven't even used much of VB or even
Windows. :)

I was really hoping someone would come along and say something like:

    "Yes, our company used to use VB for our main product, a universal
scheduler program with a clickable ledger. We saw the benefits of Python and
rewrote the whole thing in it, and our company have saved more time and
money than ever before, and our customers are thanking us for it."

Unfortunately, maybe that time won't come.


"Brad Bollenbach" <bbollenbach at homenospam.com> wrote in message
news:5DZo6.11126$hn5.1578410 at news1.rdc1.mb.home.com...
> Okay, sure this has been asked again and again, but I've never really seen
a
> clear answer to this question:
>
>     Can Python replace Visual Basic? Should it?
>
> As far as I can see, they both seem close to equal in their not-so-simple
> ways of distributing apps to end-users, which VB programmers have seem to
> overcome to some degree and so Python programmers should and probably do
> likewise. What I want is a programming language that can make Windows fun
> (like C or Perl does Unix), without having to shell out the big bucks for
> full installs of VB or VC++. Though I don't believe in using price as an
> important criteria in deciding what language I'll like (unless of course,
> it's Powerbuilder, which is over $4000 :), I still have to admit that I
like
> what Python is about, and the benefits of an Open Source language are
> obvious. As I work with Powerbuilder in my day job, I've also realized
that
> "languages" that are based on an IDE are not really my thing (I hate
having
> a 40,000 foot view of what I'm doing).
>
> But really, very specifically, were YOU a former Visual Basic (or
> Powerbuilder, or Delphi) programmer that is now using Python to write the
> complex GUI's VB used to handle for you? I'm an on again, off again,
student
> of Python, who really wants to give this a go, if there's a good chance
that
> I'll get the return on my investment: a programming tool that can take
over
> where VB, Powerbuilder, and Delphi used to play.
>
> Again, I'm much more interested in the real world experience of those who
> used to use the big visual development tools in Windows like VB, Delphi or
> Powerbuilder rather than theoretical answers.
>
> Thanks!
>
> Brad Bollenbach
>
>