[mod_python] focus on shared hosting?

On 23/12/2006, at 10:15 AM, Anthony wrote:

> > I my eyes it is important to find out why people use stuff, why  
> do they
>> need mod_python, I find that a lot of people buy a lorry of tools to
>> drill a hole in the wall for hanging up a painting.
>
> Certainly. I think a well constructed advocacy site with screencasts
> and shiny 3D icons could help filter out people who only think they
> need mod_python and direct them to other projects. To be honest, I'm
> not sure I *need* mod_python. I'd be happy with python over FastCGI on
> Apache.
>
> I believe that most shared hosting consumers that desire mod_python
> just want python with the performance of mod_php rather than CGI.
> Mod_python, by being associated with Apache and by not requiring
> additional software layers like Django, seems like the least complex
> choice. I know this is how I became initially attracted to it. I think
> this particular crowd can be very happy running python CGI for most
> things. It's generally available, although not always advertised.
> However, CGI is unfashionable and "slow". *shrugs* In all my python
> CGI code, I've found the bottleneck to be the poor design choices I
> make at 4 am.

I'd certainly concur that more often than not it is the way a  
specific application
is coded that is the problem as opposed to some base level framework  
which
is written by people who appreciate that specific problem domain.

Anyway, as far as directing people to what is the most appropriate  
thing when
wanting to use Python with Apache, I personally would like to see  
changes
made to how we prepare documentation for mod_python and make it
available. I have raised these issues off list a number times with  
the appropriate
people but have never been able to get a response from the one person  
who
actually controls this presently. It has been quite frustrating and  
part of the
reason why I have all but given up trying to improve the mod_python
documentation to any large degree or contribute to the wiki. When I  
can be
bothered doing stuff, I do it on my own web site.

That said, I would like to see a new web site created which is under  
the umbrella
of the Apache Software Foundation. The current mod_python site isn't and
that has been an obstacle at times.

The new site I would like to see created is 'python.apache.org'. This  
would in
some measure mirror the existing 'perl.apache.org' web site which covers
mod_perl, however, I would like to see it go beyond just mod_python  
and be
at least a guide for other options that exist for using Python with  
Apache. Thus
it should also point out how using Python for CGI scripts is  
different to using
mod_python. It should also point out FastCGI and other similar solutions
involving long lived back end process where the Python code is  
actually run.

At the same time, I would like to see the existing mod_python  
documentation
moved from being done in LaTeX to being managed in a Wiki.  
Specifically I
would like to see it being done in the Apache Confluence wiki system.  
Note
it cannot be practically done in the Apache MoinMoin wiki as it  
doesn't have the
necessary controls in place to limit the ability to do updates to  
only approved
ASF committers. The export options for Confluence are much better  
anyway.

This documentation now being in Confluence could be periodically  
exported
on a more regular basis as HTML and incorporated under  
python.apache.org.
This would allow more frequent updates to the mod_python documentation
outside of actual release cycles.

As to the Apache MoinMoin wiki, this can still be used as the  
community site
for mod_python users where users can contribute articles and code  
examples.
Information could be taken from this other time and incorporated into  
the
Confluence wiki in polished form for use in the official mod_python  
documentation.

In effect this would turn the existing www.modpython.org site into a  
portal
which just points to the official ASF site for Python use in Apache.  
The user mailing
list could still stay at modpython.org, but the FAQ should move into  
the community
wiki.

So more ideas and plans, but again can't see a way to progress it. :-(

Graham