Know of Substantial Apps Written in Python?

Jason Cunliffe jasonic at nomadicsltd.com
Sat Mar 31 01:11:13 EST 2001


> Hey, I looked at that, and it looks cool.  But I was somewhat puzzled by
> the following statement:
>
>    Sketch is an interactive vector drawing program for Linux
>    and other UNIX compatible systems. <snip>
>
>    A somewhat unique(for a drawing program) feature of Sketch is
>    that it is implemented almost completely in a very high-level,
>    interpreted language, Python.
>
> If it's implemented almost completely in Python, why does it only run on
> "UNIX-compatible" systems?  (BTW, does it delete hyphens? <wink>)  Is
> there something about its "almost" part that can't be done in Windows.

The logic Python arhitecture in 'Sketch' is likely very portable, but I
_imagine_ the UI toolkit chosen may be the {for the time being} the reason
it is restricted to *nixen

A major issue for cross platform 'substantial' apps is the GUI part of the
code. And typically a lot of work goes into cool widgets. Python is more
prtable than GUIs

wxPython is a very cool interface to wxWindows.. For a substantial python
app take a look at it first, and then BOAConstructor
http://boa-constructor.sourceforge.net/

[I think the Mac versions of wxWindows/wxPython still lag behind..not
Python's fault. Hopefully MacOSX will improve much of this scenario. Within,
say, a year the Mac could have many more interesting tools migrated from
Linux/Unix developers]

The major alternatives to wxWindows appear to be Tkinter and Qt.
Check on the Vaults of Parnassus for latest on these.
http://www.vex.net/parnassus/

.. check under User Interfaces section.
for example
http://www.vex.net/parnassus/apyllo.py?i=247038364

For substantial Python apps thre is also the section titled Applications
under the 'tree' menu .. http://www.vex.net/parnassus/apyllo.py?i=77689886
In general checking the 'Latest' page will provide a wnoderful insight into
the substantial work onoing by dedicated python creative teams

Another little discussed substantial is 'OpenEV', writen by some very smart
dedicated GIS people in Python:

http://openev.sourceforge.net/


enjoy :-)

- Jason
___________________________________________________________
Jason CUNLIFFE = NOMADICS['Interactive Art and Technology']





More information about the Python-list mailing list