Python Popularity: Questions and Comments

[Bill Tate]

Paul Prescod <paul at prescod.net> wrote in message news:<mailman.1009599634.29019.python-list at python.org>...
> PHP is a language absolutely optimized to solve a particular problem.
> PHP's inventor does not try to claim that it is the best programming
> language. Rather he claims that it is the programming language that is
> completely optimized for solving one and only one problem: dynamic web
> pages.
> 

I do agree with what you saying re: PHP and dynamic web pages.  But
isn't Zope supposed to be able to do that as well? Yet, Zope doesn't
appear (perhaps only to myself) to enjoy the same kind of enthusiasm
even amongst Python devotees.  You have Python programmers that have
probably tried - even more than once I suspect - to "get" Zope but
haven't as yet succeeded.  My background is mechanical engineering and
civil engineering, so my tendency is to tackle problems by going back
to first principles or by stepping back and looking at the
fundamentals.  In the case of zope, the problem isn't that the product
lacks this or that feature, its popularity suffers from the fact that
people can't figure out how to get it to work for them - that's like
starting with 2 strikes against you at bat in today's market.

Zope by no means defines the universe of what Python can do, however,
if it doesn't get the kind of traction ultimately hoped for, I can
imagine that it COULD be PERCEIVED as a "setback" of sorts for Python
amongst those who represent the "skeptical" and/or "non-converted" 
Zope represents one of the most visible products using python out
there; if it is ultimately marginalized, I don't think you can simply
dismiss the negative consequences of such a result as being isolated
only to Zope.  Regrettably, false perceptions often carry a greater
weight than fact.