Newbie Question about Python as a language

[Dave Guenthner]

Hello. I write a lot of small programs mostly in Visual Basic 6 or
VBScript using WSH 5.6 for any number of purposes. I am curious on
what Python does that say Java doesn't do? For example, I would
definetly need some type if Visual Development Environment. Also,
does Python have methods or classes to access the Windows registry?
Also, I guess if was going to use an OO language, why would I choose
Python over say C# and Visual Studio? I work in a Enterprise
environment so money for software tools is not a problem.

Thanks in advance,

Dave

 

[Dave Brueck]

Hello. I write a lot of small programs mostly in Visual Basic 6 or
VBScript using WSH 5.6 for any number of purposes. I am curious on
what Python does that say Java doesn't do?

Feel free to search the Google archives of comp.lang.python to read up
on many, many previous threads on language comparisons.

For example, I would
definetly need some type if Visual Development Environment.

If your development style _requires_ a visual dev environment then
Python may not be for you - it doesn't have IDEs as mature as e.g.
Microsoft Visual Studio. If the need is more because that's just what
you're used to, then Python might suit you well after all.

Also,
does Python have methods or classes to access the Windows registry?

Yes. There is a built-in module called _winreg, but using ctypes you can
access pretty much all of the Win32 API (as well as functions in 3rd
party DLLs) so you can access the registry that way too.

Also, I guess if was going to use an OO language, why would I choose
Python over say C# and Visual Studio?

Lower development costs (up-front and long-term), higher productivity,
cross-platform support, not getting screwed if your closed-source vendor
decides to radically alter the language (e.g. VB -> VB.NET), ease of
leveraging other technologies, etc.

You'll have to decide what factors are most important for you and your
project, of course. A few months ago we brought on a developer who
preferred C# and so he did his first couple of projects here in it.
Since then he's learned Python and now dreads any time he spends going
back and working on those C# projects. YMMV.

-Dave

 

[Istvan Albert]

definetly need some type if Visual Development Environment. Also,
does Python have methods or classes to access the Windows registry?
Also, I guess if was going to use an OO language, why would I choose
Python over say C# and Visual Studio?

If your programs are strongly Windows specific you should
stay with Microsoft products/languages.

Istvan.

 

[Dave Brueck]

If your programs are strongly Windows specific you should
stay with Microsoft products/languages.

No, that's too big of a blanket statement. Several of our apps are
insanely Windows-specific and we still find that Python is the best tool
for the particular job.

-Dave

 

[Thomas Bartkus]

Hello. I write a lot of small programs mostly in Visual Basic 6 or
VBScript using WSH 5.6 for any number of purposes. I am curious on
what Python does that say Java doesn't do?

The short answer is that Python will let you get into the guts of the os and
do all those things you need to do that Java purports to "save" you from.
If you need to protect yourself (from yourself!) - use Java. If your a big
boy and can take care of yourself - try Python.

> For example, I would
> definetly need some type if Visual Development Environment.

Whoops! Sorry. This is still very much in the experimental stage.
I'm afraid that if you "definitely" need some type of "Visual Development
Environment" then you may be looking in the wrong place.
BUT
If you do VBScript and WSH as you claim, then perhaps you aren't so stuck on
the GUI development after all? Python program tools are way ahead of
VBScript and I'm wagering that seriously effective GUI programming is right
around the corner - although I won't make any promises

> Also, does Python have methods or classes to access the Windows

registry?
Yes! AND support for manipulating MS object model libraries like Excel,
Word, ADODB, etc.

Also, I guess if was going to use an OO language, why would I choose
Python over say C# and Visual Studio?

Clean, classy implementation without (too) much concession to legacy
programming languages. If you are afraid of something new, don't bother.
If you are a language geek and love programming - go for it.

Re: C# and Visual Studio - I'm just saying no.
As a former MS junky dating back to the bad old days of PC DOS (hah! how
about TRS-DOS!). I am currently in .NET .NOT mode.
Just to warn you where I'm coming from

> I work in a Enterprise environment so money for software tools is not a

problem.
So free software tools don't interest you!
If $ is not a problem for you, you might be interested in making a
donation.

http://www.python.org/psf/donations.html

I haven't checked, but I suspect you won't find this one on the "Bill &
Melinda Gates Foundation" grant list

..NET .NOT
Thomas Bartkus

 

[bruno modulix]

Dave Brueck a écrit :

If your development style _requires_ a visual dev environment then
Python may not be for you - it doesn't have IDEs as mature as e.g.
Microsoft Visual Studio.

It does :
http://www.activestate.com/Products/Visual_Python/

Bruno

 

[bruno modulix]

Istvan Albert a écrit :

If your programs are strongly Windows specific you should
stay with Microsoft products/languages.

That's probably the reason why some MS developers and admins use Python?

 

[Dave Brueck]

Dave Brueck a écrit :


It does :
http://www.activestate.com/Products/Visual_Python/

Nope - that doesn't quite cut it. Granted, I may be misunderstanding
what the OP is asking for, but I assume that since he was using VB and
is asking about a *visual* development environment, he is probably
looking for the ability to visually build GUIs (and have tight
integration - auto-code generation for it and all).

AFAIK Visual Python doesn't have this - yeah it's a plugin for a more
mature IDE, but it doesn't enjoy the same level of support in that IDE
as e.g. C++. Other Python tools are getting there, but they aren't as
mature yet.

-Dave

 

[R Baumann]

Nope - that doesn't quite cut it. Granted, I may be misunderstanding
what the OP is asking for, but I assume that since he was using VB and
is asking about a *visual* development environment, he is probably
looking for the ability to visually build GUIs (and have tight
integration - auto-code generation for it and all).

AFAIK Visual Python doesn't have this - yeah it's a plugin for a more
mature IDE, but it doesn't enjoy the same level of support in that IDE
as e.g. C++. Other Python tools are getting there, but they aren't as
mature yet.

-Dave

If you need a RAD development environment that's capable of doing both
console and GUI apps, take a look a Boa Constructor and Pythoncard. Both
these projects are located on Source Forge. Do a google search to get the
exact URLs.

Boa is designed a to be a bit like Delphi, while PythonCard is patterned
after Apple's Hypercard. Both products are under active development, both
use wxWidgets, and both can be used for cross-platform development.

There are other windowing API's in use also. It's worth noting that Borland
has invested in and is moving toward providing hooks to wxwidgets in their
product lines.

You can also use IDLE which comes with the Python Download, and
tkinter(Python's "standard" windowing interface to tcl/tk) which is also
included with the d/l, or Eric3 or drPython, or. . .

Do a google search on this newsgroup for IDE or editors. Lots of stuff
here!

HTH
Ruben

 

[Dave Guenthner]

Thanks to everyone for all of the feedback. I picked up a couple of
O'Reilly books for Python and will give it a shot. You guys have a
good sense of humor.
See you in future threads.

 

[bruno modulix]

Dave Brueck a écrit :

Nope - that doesn't quite cut it. Granted, I may be misunderstanding
what the OP is asking for, but I assume that since he was using VB and
is asking about a *visual* development environment, he is probably
looking for the ability to visually build GUIs (and have tight
integration - auto-code generation for it and all).
AFAIK Visual Python doesn't have this - yeah it's a plugin for a more
mature IDE, but it doesn't enjoy the same level of support in that IDE
as e.g. C++. Other Python tools are getting there, but they aren't as
mature yet.

IDE and RAD are two distinct things IMHO (well, I may be a bit biased
since I use Emacs as an IDE and mostly write CLI and Web apps...), so my
answer was on the fact that you can use MS visual studio *IDE* with Python.

Now for the RAD part, since the OP was also talking about WHS and Java,
I did assume that he was not specifically looking for a RAD tool. But I
may of course be plain wrong...

<OP>
If you're looking for RAD tools, there are :
- BoaConstructor (à la Delphi),
- PythonCard (à la HyperCard),
- wxGlade (RAD only, no code editing or whatsoever)

They all work with wxPython/wxWidget, which is a mature C++ free
cross-platform (Windows/X11/MacOS X) GUI toolkit.
</OP>

HTH
Bruno