Can Python replace Visual Basic? Should it?

[Don Dwiggins]

Brad Bollenbach writes:
>     Can Python replace Visual Basic? Should it?

> But really, very specifically, were YOU a former Visual Basic (or
> Powerbuilder, or Delphi) programmer that is now using Python to write the
> complex GUI's VB used to handle for you? I'm an on again, off again, student
> of Python, who really wants to give this a go, if there's a good chance that
> I'll get the return on my investment: a programming tool that can take over
> where VB, Powerbuilder, and Delphi used to play.

Funny you should ask.  In our tiny development team, we've been using VB
(and VBScript) exclusively, until recently.  Being a polyglot by nature and
experience, and reacting to VB's habit of running out of power while getting
very complex, I've been using Python for prototyping for a month or so.
Now, I've been asked to share what I've learned, including helping the other
guys learn the language.  Frankly, we could have done everything in our web
site in Python (except for client-side Javascript) and been better off for
it, for many reasons.  Indeed, we may evolve in that direction.

I'd say go for it -- get the Python on Windows book and convert one of your
VB, Powerbuilder, or Delphi projects to Python and see what you think (or if
you're adventurous, just use the documentation included in the
distribution).  I converted one of our ASP pages to Python from VBScript to
see if it would be faster (it wasn't), and was pleasantly surprised at how
easy it was.

I should say, though, that we haven't used any of the GUI toolkits -- maybe
someone else can recommend the best one to use when migrating from VB Forms.

-- 
Don Dwiggins                    "Solvitur Ambulando"
Advanced MP Technology
dwig at advancedmp.net