dynamic typing question

[Jason Tesser]

Hi, 

<snip> 

> Along with everything others have already written--that
> you want to focus on test-driven development, that Python
> is a proven success in Serious Applications, and so on--
> your description raises a few concerns in my mind:
> 1.  Why, in your mind or your teammate's,   
>     is dynamic typing a "lack"?  What, pre-       
>    cisely, is the benefit of static typing?       
>    There are a number of legitimate 
>    answers.  It occurs to me that, without 
>    precision on which interest you, we 
>    might be missing an opportunity to 
>    clarify "The Python Way" significantly.

The typing errors that would not be found until runtime.

>2.  Most application-level Python code        
>    doesn't--and shouldn't!--employ dynamic
>    typing in any material way.  Does that
>    help?
>3.  Postgres is good stuff.  Its support for
>    Python has improved quite a bit over the
>    past few years.
>4.  My instinct tells me that, yes, you can
>    produce quality results quicker with Py-
>    thon.
>5.  In writing, "the GUI is clunky" about 
>    Java, what do you mean?  Are you refer-
>    ring to a particular IDE, or a specific
>    GUI toolkit?  Java has several of each;
>    perhaps alternatives would suit you
>    better.

Java's main gui.  Swing it is slow.  

>6.  Are there alternatives to having the
>    two of you write a "package" from 
>    scratch?  A LOT of software for college
>    administration has been written already;
>    is none of it appropriate for your situ-
>    ation?

$500,000 to get the level of a product that we need as a complete solution.  There
are a lot of little programs that would meet individual needs, many of which we now
use but we need a complete integrated solution at this point.   We are a Bible 
college and do have some unique needs for our students also.  

Cameron Laird <claird at phaseit.net>
Business:  http://www.Phaseit.net
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