[Python-Dev] What to choose to replace Tkinter?

[Greg Wilson]

> Guido van Rossum:
> Can you elaborate on the line of argument that you typically hear
> [objections to Tkinter]? What do you say to dispel it?

From some feedback forms from old runs of my Python course (with spelling
corrections :-)

1. "My users don't care what programs are written in.  They just care
   if they're easy to use.  They won't care if Python programs have
   the same look and feel on different computers, because they won't
   ever think of [name of program] as a Python program.  To them, it
   will be a Windows program that looks funny."

2. "You said three times in the intro lecture this morning that the
   most important thing in a GUI was consistency.  Then you told us to
   write GUIs that look different from everything else on the desktop."

3. "I'm confused: I didn't realize that Python was a library on top of
   TCL."

I spent a minute drawing blob diagrams to answer #3; I think most students
understood, but the person who asked the question was clearly still confused.

I didn't try to dispel #1 or #2, because I agree with them: my experience is
that consistent look and feel are crucial for making non-programmers less afraid
of pressing the wrong button or making the program "do weird things".  Other
people with more experience creating end-user applications may have different
views.

Thanks,
Greg