Fast CGI with Python on UNIX and alternatives

[Doru-Catalin Togea]

Hi!

My ISS uses UNIX web-servers, and makes Python available.

I have lots of data in a mySQL database, and have written some
Python scripts which really twist some HTML out of them.

So far I have only tested them on my Win 2000 machine with ActiveState
Python and Apache.

Skimming fast through some Perl mailing, I read there are some Perl
modules which are loaded into memory on web-servers once, and reside there
and keep serving Perl CGI scripts, in order to make them fast.

Is there anything similar available for Python? If so, is it common to
have it installed, or will I have to take it up with my ISS?

Also, just out of curiosity, can I expect my ISS to have installed Python
modules like PyXML and Optik, or will I most likely have to take it up
with my ISS and hope that they will care to install them?

Finally, I read in some articles that using <table> tags to format HTML
output is old-fashioned and that we should go over to CSS. Can a similar
argument be made for CGI and other web-interaction methods like PHP and
ASP? Is CGI old-fashioned? If so, why? Security? More intuitive
programming paradigm?

Best regards,
Catalin

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