ActivePython

[Frank Swarbrick]

Why might one choose to use ActivePython instead of using the free CPython?

 

[Alex Martelli]

Why might one choose to use ActivePython instead of using the free CPython?

I believe ActivePython is also free, and it's packaged up differently
(with more 3rd party modules accompanying it than the standard Python
distribution), which might make it attractive to some. Also, I believe
ActivePython is also available as a pre-built binary for some platforms
for which CPython is only distributed as sources (e.g., Solaris), and
again this difference may be seen as favorable by some.


Alex

 

[tleeuwenburg]

I believe ActivePython is also free, and it's packaged up differently
(with more 3rd party modules accompanying it than the standard Python
distribution), which might make it attractive to some. Also, I believe
ActivePython is also available as a pre-built binary for some platforms
for which CPython is only distributed as sources (e.g., Solaris), and
again this difference may be seen as favorable by some.

Alex

Well, Komodo is a nice enough IDE, so you might choose to use
ActivePython for integration reasons, and maybe it's a little easier
on Windows.

However, I would have thought that if you were planning to distribute
an application, you would want to choose CPython for maximum
interoperability with external packages.

ActivePython claims to be ready to install across multiple platforms
(as is CPython) so perhaps a little more work has gone into making a
consistent experience across operating systems.

I have to say, I am just guessing and would love to hear from an
expert in the area on this topic. The ActiveState web page doesn't
really talk about their reasons very much.

Cheers,
-T

 

[MC]

Hi!

Why might one choose to use ActivePython instead of using the free CPython?

quiet installation?

 

[Steve Holden]

Well, Komodo is a nice enough IDE, so you might choose to use
ActivePython for integration reasons, and maybe it's a little easier
on Windows.

However, I would have thought that if you were planning to distribute
an application, you would want to choose CPython for maximum
interoperability with external packages.

Not only that, but the last time I looked the ActivePython distribution
doesn't allow redistribution at all (i.e. it's not technically open source).

ActivePython claims to be ready to install across multiple platforms
(as is CPython) so perhaps a little more work has gone into making a
consistent experience across operating systems.

I have to say, I am just guessing and would love to hear from an
expert in the area on this topic. The ActiveState web page doesn't
really talk about their reasons very much.

ActiveState do produce a convenient package for many purposes, and I
have used it myself in the past, but if you want to redistribute then it
isn't a permitted starting point.

regards
Steve
--
Steve Holden +1 571 484 6266 +1 800 494 3119
Holden Web LLC/Ltd http://www.holdenweb.com
Skype: holdenweb http://del.icio.us/steve.holden
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[Trent Mick]

Why might one choose to use ActivePython instead of using the free CPython?

Expanding on what Alex already said, there are a few reasons:

1. On Windows, ActivePython also includes the PyWin32 [1] extensions
which otherwise you'd have to install separately over a python.org install.

2. ActivePython includes ready-to-install packages for more platforms
(some of which the python.org distros also cover, of course):
* Windows/x86 and Windows/x64,
* Mac OS X (Universal build),
* Linux/x86 and Linux/x86_64,
* Solaris SPARC and x86,
* HP-UX, and
* AIX.
For some of these platforms (e.g. Linux), a fair amount of work has been
done to ensure you can use all of the core extensions (e.g. Tkinter,
bsddb, bzip2, etc.) out of the box without running into dependency
issues. ActivePython's installer on the Un*x platforms also makes it
easy to install either in a shared location or in a user-specific location.

3. ActivePython includes a number of extra documentation sets that may
prove useful to some. E.g. "Dive Into Python", a non-programmer's
tutorial for Python, the Python HOWTOs, a snapshot of the Python PEPs,
the Python FAQs, back copies of Andrew Kuchling's excellent "What's New
in Python"



Some sometimes mentioned, but untrue reasons to avoid ActivePython:

- It doesn't include OpenSSL bindings.
As of ActivePython 2.5.0.0, full SSL bindings are included.

- It isn't free.
See my answer to Steve, below.

- It isn't compatible with python.org's Python distro.
It is. If there is a case where this isn't the case, it is a serious bug.


Some more details here:
http://aspn.activestate.com/ASPN/docs/ActivePython/2.5/whatsincluded.html


To answer some questions from others on this thread:

> Well, Komodo is a nice enough IDE, so you might choose to use
> ActivePython for integration reasons, and maybe it's a little easier
> on Windows.
>
> However, I would have thought that if you were planning to distribute
> an application, you would want to choose CPython for maximum
> interoperability with external packages.

Note that Komodo in no way, "prefers" ActivePython over a python.org
installation. One of the primary requirements of ActivePython is to
fully binary compatible with a python.org build of the same version --
if it isn't, it is a serious bug. As well, with Komodo we aren't *at
all* interested in locking people in to our language distros. (BTW: I
also work on Komodo.)

> The ActiveState web page doesn't
> really talk about their reasons very much.

As to reasons for ActivePython: ActiveState believes in the dynamic
languages (all of the developers here are very passionate about that)
and we are both happy to and view it as in our best interests to do what
we can to ensure that the dynamic language communities are vibrant and
competitive with the more corporate-backed languages and technologies.

Of course, it isn't pure altruism, but more of a symbiosis. ActiveState
provides for-pay contracts for Perl, Python and Tcl distributions for
things like specific support and builds (for example, some companies are
happy to pay for the leg-work for an up-to-date Python installer for an
old version of HP-UX that supports their C++ extensions).

Generally, any patches that we've worked on for these kinds of things
are provided back to the language cores so that everyone benefits. As
well, these contracts allow us to maintain a large number of build and
test machines for the for-pay and free Active* distros -- and to buy
food for developers such as myself.

> ...the last time I looked the ActivePython distribution
> doesn't allow redistribution at all (i.e. it's not technically open
> source).

Steve is correct that ActivePython isn't open source. It is free (as in
beer), meaning that it is completely free for you to download, install
and use on as many machines as you want.

As to redistribution: Yes, it is technically correct that you cannot
fully redistribute ActivePython without our permission. However,
ActivePython's license expressly *does* allow you to use the "freezing"
utilities such as "py2exe" and "py2app" -- so you have no worries there.
For fully embedding Python in an application, in my experience [2]
you'll want to be building your own Python anyway.


Sincerely,
Trent
Python Tech Lead at ActiveState
also, a Komodo developer


[1] PyWin32 is primarily a set of extensions that provide Python
bindings to much of the Windows API and to Windows COM. It also includes
an editor/IDE called PythonWin. <http://sourceforge.net/projects/pywin32/>

[2] Komodo embeds its own Python build for doing a lot of the core
logic. A custom Python build is generally necessary to avoid
cross-talking between Komodo's Python and other possible Pythons on the
system.

 

[Steve Holden]

Frank Swarbrick wrote: [...]

...the last time I looked the ActivePython distribution
doesn't allow redistribution at all (i.e. it's not technically open
source).

Steve is correct that ActivePython isn't open source. It is free (as in
beer), meaning that it is completely free for you to download, install
and use on as many machines as you want.

Indeed, and a jolly good system it is, too. Saves you loads of time
integrating things that are already fully integrated in ActivePython.

As to redistribution: Yes, it is technically correct that you cannot
fully redistribute ActivePython without our permission. However,
ActivePython's license expressly *does* allow you to use the "freezing"
utilities such as "py2exe" and "py2app" -- so you have no worries there.

That's going to account for most people's uses for application
distribution, I'd have thought, thanks for pointing that out.

For fully embedding Python in an application, in my experience [2]
you'll want to be building your own Python anyway.

Yup.

[...]
> [2] Komodo embeds its own Python build for doing a lot of the core
> logic. A custom Python build is generally necessary to avoid
> cross-talking between Komodo's Python and other possible Pythons
> on the system.

regards
Steve
--
Steve Holden +1 571 484 6266 +1 800 494 3119
Holden Web LLC/Ltd http://www.holdenweb.com
Skype: holdenweb http://del.icio.us/steve.holden
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