[Edu-sig] Pygeo, platforms, wx and Tk

[Kirby Urner]

> Remember that the gui intensive Leo found no reason to go beyond TK.
> 

I haven't tried Leo on a Mac, but if it doesn't look like Aqua, I'd probably
not be satisfied with it on a Mac (I might still use it in Windows or
Linux).  Ditto for Pygeo.

When it comes to GUI-intensive programs, I like my Aqua, and get impatient
with sitting on top of X.

> TK's capabilities and Arthur's capabilities with TK  being different
> issues ;)
> 

Tk is a great cross-platform solution, rock solid and not too hard to use.
However, other cross-platform GUI frameworks exist, are free and open
source, and have their own virtues and vices.

PythonCard is a virtue, and not available in Tk.  For that reason alone,
wxWidgets is attractive.  And that's not the only reason.  

So if a kid is already coming up through a curriculum that has a lot of wx
in it, and not much Tk, trying to jump tracks to Tk all of a sudden would be
jarring (so we might back up and use John's book, to provide an easy on
ramp).

Something I'm not up to date on about Pygeo:  how much is it designed to
model coding, teaching Python by virtue of its under-the-hood dynamics,
versus how much is it designed to teach projective geometry, irrespective of
internals (and yes, I realize it could be about both, but in what mixture?)?

Part of the reason I ask, is that if Pygeo is mainly a geometry package, and
the "learning to program in Python" part is secondary, then the GUI library
makes less of a difference.  You just want a usable interface.  

But when it's about learning to code, then it matters more if it's Tk or wx
under the hood, and the calculation really has to do with which library is
more likely to come up again on the job, i.e. professionally.  

There's no one answer for everyone.  Many forks in the road, always will be.

> Current VPython uses GTK1 on Linux (where an addtional component for
> creating a GTK OpenGL canvas is necessary) and a native OpenGL canvas for
> Windows.
> 
> VPython is working toward some integration with PyOpenGL. Which will be
> very cool. I am hoping this will also mean that it will eventually render
> onto any OpenGL capable widget - which would include wxPython and PyGame,
> among others.  Last I looked, the _tkinter OpenGL widget, which has always
> been a bit of a pain, was out of commission.
> 
> At the point that VPython offers more flexibility, I will need to reassess
> my options.
> 

Yes, that's what I was thinking as well.  I haven't found a way to get a
VPython canvas to show up inside wx, especially as a static rectangle
surrounded by control surfaces, either fixed or dockable.

> And look forward to it.  All evidence still pointing to the fact that I
> have gotten on the right horses, for the kinds the things I have been
> exploring, and hoping to encourage others to explore.
> 
> Art

Yes, I don't think you've made any serious mistakes in picking your tools.
At one point I objected to Pygeo for needing a custom IDLE, but those days
are long gone by now, and even then, you made a good/persuasive case for the
design you chose.

Kirby