[Edu-sig] Fw: [Visualpython-users] Towers of Hanoi

[Arthur]

Forward of my post to the VPython list.  As I get more familiar with the
capabilities of distutils, supplemented as necessary by a full featured
Installer like Inno Setup, the idea of a Python "runtime" - at least for a
specific "app" like VPython scripts becomes, I think intriguing.  The small
size of the distribution is particularly impressive considering the fact of
the dependencies on Numeric and VPython as well as on  the standard Python
files and moudles.

A simple way to share one's Python based efforts with a very broad base of
folks, is - potentially - a Very Good Thing.

FWIW, the acutal VPython script that created what I think is a very
impressive Tower of Hanoi implementation, is less than 75 lines of code.
(Again, not my work)
The script is included in the "executable" distribution.

But of course it is built on top of VPython and Numeric and Python and C,
etc - like Plone, but different.

I have a small worry of running afoul of licensing issues by going down this
road - only because I don't understand much about the subject, and it seems
to be a quagmire even for people who do.  I guess I will continue, and if
anyone is offended by what I am trying to do, I will hear about it.

Art



> [Bruce]
>
> > Cool! And only a megabyte.
>
> Of the megabyte, probably about 80% is essentially a runtime environment -
> which theoretically is a one time download.  If one could educate a Setup
> script sufficiently to look for the environment, the distribution of even
> the most complex VPython constructions could be done as an executable of <
> 250k.  An eye blink at decent bandwidth.  Setup could only go back for the
> "runtime" if it doesn't find it on the machine.
>
> Not terribly different from what is normal for Flash or Java applets.
> Probably the best available alternative to a Java based VPython - in some
> ways better, I think.
>
> Of course, the Windows only aspect is a big downside.  I won't even try to
> approach what would be necessary to make this a true crossplatfrom
> capability.
>
> Art
>