I would not recommend this. A distribution with an own apache server
seems to be the best. It is easy to hide the setup and the customers
know that there is a good working technologie behind the scenes. And
it can be managed by every normal administrator. This is a very
important point for larger customers.
Therefore, you are suggesting ASP running on IIS? Or JSP + SunONE +
Oracle? <0.5 wink> Few Python solutions would satisfy the customer who
bears this level of concern.
There are countless potential customers for Intranet applications who
will never be able to install Apache. Many of them will never meet a
"normal administrator" -- by which I assume you mean the "FOSS-savvy,
got Knoppix right here on my keydrive" variety, not the
MS/Lotus/Netware kind -- let alone employ one. They still deserve and
will pay for Intranet apps, and the company that can deliver and
deploy them easily will have a business advantage.
(I will never forget the first time I delivered such an app to a
client, and told him "just run the setup program", and he had a fully
functional Web app -- Web server, database and all -- running 40
seconds later. Nor will I forget the funny sound his jaw made as it
hit the floor.)
Lastly, almost any app that will run on a Python web server will also
run on Apache et. al., right? Unless you design it with Apache-centric
features; but I don't know if your concerned customer would appreciate
unnecessary platform lock-in! Offer both a Quick-Start and an FCGI
flavour of your app, and let the customer decide what he's capable of
administering.
In my book, an application that scales down (embedded httpd) as well
as up (Apache, etc.) beats a scaled-up-and-nowhere-to-go app any day.
Best wishes,
-- G