[mod_python] supporting modular mod_python extensions vs. "folding" mod_psp

Ramon,

> I wanted to post earlier, but I didn't find the time. I find
> this "folding" to be a little troubling. Why not fold Zope 
> into mod_python? Why not Spyce? Why not Roadkill? Why not 
> Draco? Why not Cheetah, or WebWare?
>   http://www.zope.org/
>   http://spyce.sourceforge.net/
>   http://roadkill.sourceforge.net/
>   http://draco.boskant.nl/
>   http://www.cheetahtemplate.org/
>   http://webware.sourceforge.net/
>
> There are many others at:
>   http://spyce.sourceforge.net/doc-add_related.html
 
[...]

> Should it simply be a pure Python handler, or should it be
> extended with more functionality? There is a difference 
> between mod_python compatability and mod_python inclusion. 
> Should there be a modular extension and/or installation 
> mechanism or should there be a "folding" for all willing 
> projects? If mod_python picks one candidate, what will it 
> mod_python do to the other projects? Will some other projects 
> begin to fork mod_python as a result? Do we want a 
> duplication of effort of either the mod_python-type or the 
> mod_psp-type code?

As the author of one of the systems you mention above, I was worried a
bit too when the announcement was made to add PSP to mod_python.
However, my understanding is that the component is implemented as a
mod_python handler so that it is completely optional. I hope that it
remains like this: mod_python as a fast and pure Apache-Python interface
with an optional templating system.

The good thing about this move is that new users will have something to
get started with. On the other hand, a web framework that does a bit
more than the standard ASP stuff is probably much larger in scope than
mod_python, so then it would be like adding mod_python to the framework
instead of the other way around.

> I humbly recommend that mod_python remain pure, and serve as
> a Python handler. It does this job very well! I think that 
> what mod_python needs is the creation and documentation of a 
> standard extension mechanism to allow for 
> psp/spyce/draco/roadkill/etc. type of extensions. They would 
> not be included with mod_python, but would involve a simple .rpm (or
> whatever) installation. (That's where the standardization 
> helps!) This will allow projects like Spyce, which works well 
> with FastCGI, mod_python, CGI, via proxying and even with 
> other webservers (Xitami) to continue to perform efficiently 
> within Apache and also to broaden the user base with support 
> for other web platforms.

It is already quite easy to add an extension to mod_python. Mostly it is
just the definition of the appropriate "PythonHandler" directives. What
would really help IMHO is a good and independent web site describing the
current situation with the many different frameworks that lists and
rates the different options.

Cheers,
Geert