Komodo - Will it Lock Me In?

[Trent Mick]

[Matt at bag.python.org wrote]
> Hi Everybody,
> 
> If I were to use Komodo to write in Python, would it add a lot of goo to my 
> code such that I would not be able to switch to another IDE without having to 
> claw my way out of a tarpit first?

Nope. Komodo adds no goo to your code (TM).
TM's my name, not a trademark on "Komodo adds no goo to your code" --
but I'm thinking about it. :)

Perhaps you are thinking of some of the C/C++ IDEs (like Visual Studio
on Windows and Xcode on the Mac) that will help you setup of projects
using their build systems that sometimes imply a number of standard
files. Komodo doesn't mandate a build system.

> Any other thoughts on Komodo? I am considering it because I am hoping to find 
> a solution to the install-packages-until-you-go-blind aspect of Python. 
> Setting up a serious, cross-platform, gui development environment is quite a 
> struggle for a newbie.

Not sure about the "install-packages-until-you-go-blind" thing. Komodo
doesn't help you install packages into your Python implementation. Nor
does Komodo have front-ends to py2app or py2exe for wrapping up Python
code into standalone executables.

GUI development, however. Komodo's GUI Builder is intended to be a GUI
designer for simple Tkinter-based UIs. It does mandate a certain style
for your *GUI* code, but I believe that all GUI designers need to do
this.

Because I work on Komodo I am biased, so won't give you an opinion on it
relative to other tools out there.

Cheers,
Trent

-- 
Trent Mick
TrentM at ActiveState.com