[Tutor] web-based python?

[Che M]

> > There is a myriad of python web development frameworks. Here's a link
> > with a ton of info:
> >
> > http://wiki.python.org/moin/WebFrameworks
> I had looked into Django before. What is confusing me is that it
> sounds like it is meant to be run on the server directly. I do not
> have direct access to my server, I just rent space on it and can
> login. Maybe I am missing something, but how would I get Django onto
> my server if I do not have the physical box available to me?

For a long time I have hoped for a "Python web apps for absolute beginners"
tutorial that doesn't assume any knowledge.  For a beginner, it is not even
clear what a "web frameworks" is let alone which one he/she should start
with or if it is even needed.  I just checked Alan Gauld's Learning to Program
and was disappointed to see the section on writing web apps hasn't been
done yet, since all the other tutorial material is so good (I understand that
it is a lot of work to write these, though, and greatly appreciate all you have
already done).

Brainstorming what a good soup-to-nuts tutorial for Python web apps 
might include...

- What the the various kinds of web apps one can make are and (very) roughly 
  how much work each entails.  In other words, there is a difference between
  writing an online newspaper vs. a web based GUI app.
- Whether it matters if you develop on Windows, Linux, or Mac.
- The easiest possible "Hello, World!" (just text) in a web browser.
- How much of other languages (XHTML, CSS, Javascript, etc.) you need to know.
- What you need to understand about servers and how to communicate with them.
- How you can get more than just text on a web app, that is, widgets, and
  therefore what are currently the options for that (learning javascript and whatever
  widget toolkits are out there for that; qooxdoo; Pyjamas; others).
- Whether you could use Pyjamas to make your code work as both a web app
  and a desktop app.
- How you can develop your web app on your own computer and when you
  need to test it actually on the web.
- What to consider when choosing a way to host your app online.
- How to get your Python code onto that server, as well as whatever other
  code (like Django) there too. (Alex's question)
- Why starting with a MVC pattern may be the best way to go for a web app.
- What you need to consider to make your web app work the same on most browsers.
- Scalability issues, speed issues, Security issues, cost issues; etc.
- What databases to use and why
- Issues concerning whether your app can be used by iPhones and other smart phones.
- Opening your code to contribution; monetizing your service
- Probably lots of other stuff I don't even know about.

I understand much of this is about web apps generally and is not germane
only to Python, but it would be good if a Python tutorial at least pointed toward
this information, since for many beginners, the entry portal to anything is through
Python.  To just refer someone to Django when they don't know the first thing about
web apps is, I think, off-putting.

Che


 		 	   		  
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