Why is Python popular, while Lisp and Scheme aren't?

[Robin Munn]

Patrick W <patrickw106 at yahoo.com.au> wrote:
> Kenny Tilton <ktilton at nyc.rr.com> writes:
> 
>> [...] But I for one am porting my Cells project:
>> 
>>    http://www.tilton-technology.com/cells_top.html
>> 
>> ...to Python /precisely/ (a) to swim in a bigger pond (uh, pond with
>> more fish?) and (2) because there is (I hear) a x-platform GUI,
> 
> Several in fact.
> 
>> TKinter. And it's fun learning a new language, recommended so highly
>> by a CL worthy such as Norvig.
> 
> Not trying to twist your arm but in case you weren't aware of it, Qt
> (and PyQt) is just as portable as Tkinter (on platforms that matter)
> and has a few advantages (snappier performance, more 'native' look,
> more (and IMO, better) widgets, easy integration with opengl, stable
> and reliable, distributed under 'free' or commercial licences,
> arguably more popular in industry, etc).  They guy who maintains PyQt
> (the Python bindings to the Qt C++ libraries) does a great job of
> keeping up with the latest Qt releases.
> 
> Perhaps worth a look if you haven't checked it out already.
> 
> http://www.trolltech.com (for info on Qt)
> http://www.riverbankcomputing.co.uk/pyqt/index.php (for PyQt)

You may also want to look at wxPython (http://www.wxpython.org/), the
Python interface to the wxWindows cross-platform GUI library. The stable
release (a little old by now) runs on Unix and Windows, and the
development release includes Mac support. (It also includes OS/2, if you
need to target that platform). I don't know when they're going to
declare the 2.3 development branch "good enough" and release 2.4, but
all indications seem to be that the 2.3 branch is stable and useful for
working on.

As for which GUI package to use -- TKinter, PyQt or wxPython -- well,
this thread is already combustible enough without starting a second
flammable topic! :-) Figure out for yourself which one you like best.

-- 
Robin Munn <rmunn at pobox.com>
http://www.rmunn.com/
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