[mod_python] mod_python bake-off?

On Sep 02 09:01, Nick <nick at dd.revealed.net> wrote:
>
> Subject: Re: [mod_python] mod_python bake-off?
>
> Nic Ferrier wrote:
> 
> > I think something with a business focus and a database back end would
> > be ideal. It really annoys me when I'm trying to learn something and
> > the application is something I can't really engage with (like a card
> > game or the pet store).
> 
> I agree; whatever it is should fit into the LAMP development model for a 
> good comparison not only with other Python frameworks, but with other web 
> application development environments such as JSP, PHP, ASP, etc.
> 
> > - a timesheet management system: create a time sheet, amend a
> >   timesheet, list timesheets, report total time.
> 
> That seems reasonable because it's very finite, encompasses all the aspects 
> of DB operations, and it's short enough to be completed in spare time rather 
> than as some kind of full-blown, out of control system.

I'd also agree that that is probably a good candidate. I would not though place a
requirement for something like MySQL to be used, I would leave it up to the
individual to determine. That way someone could use a full relational database
backend, an object database such as ZODB, pickling into files or other file
formats stored as normal files within the file system.

What I believe is more important, whatever the candidate project may be, is that
a single initial set of mock up web pages be developed by someone who is good at
web design and that everyone use these as a starting point. In other words, the
final design of each implementation should look more or less the same to the user.
The only thing that should really change is the underlying implementation which
supports it. If the user facing interface is always the same, it would make it easier
for someone evaluating the different implementations to see how each differs.
If everyone were free to come up with totally different page designs and features,
would be much harder to compare.

Thus, start with raw HTML mock up pages which could be viewed statically with
some dummy data. PSP people could take that and convert them into PSP. The
mpservlet people could convert them to their way of doing things, similarly for
Albatross etc etc.

Someone evalulating it can then look at how a particular static HTML page gets
translated into a dynamic page in a particular implementation.

BTW, there may need to be two reference HTML designs. One for old style HTML
table driven approaches and one for CSS driven designs where HTML tables aren't
used for layout. This may be appropriate as different implementation methods
may be biased towards one or the other.

--
Graham Dumpleton (grahamd at dscpl.com.au)