VB to Python migration

[Josh]

Steven D'Aprano wrote:
> I suggest you hire a couple of experienced Python developers, pick half a
> dozen screens, say three simple screens and three complex ones, and build
> them in Python. That will give you an idea of how much work is involved.
> Don't get your VB developers to try to port it themselves, that's a recipe
> for disaster: they will be trying to learn Python, and will end up writing
> VB code in Python, which is sure to be slow, inefficient, bulky and buggy.
> 
> You may also like to think about using a web front end. If your GUI app
> only uses simple controls like text fields and push buttons, a web front
> end might simplify things a lot.
> 
> Good luck.

Point taken on VB coders writing Python. I think part of this though, is 
having programmers who are willing to learn new paradigms. I agree that 
there could be many teething problems, but knowing the team, I believe 
that after doing a few modules/classes (2 or 3 months, maybe more) we 
could work out the bugs, and go on to new problems.

Having worked out problems with the first classes, as long as there are 
no major architectural problems, we could continue on with the rest of 
the program. Once good headway on the project, come back to those first 
converts and refactor them, using knowledge accumulated from the last 6 
months in Python.

Maybe I'm just being overly optimistic, but I think the VB programmers 
we have can make the jump to Python. Their first lines of Python will 
just be VB in Python, but, once the power of Python becomes apparent, 
there'll be no going back.

Josh