Sample Web application (Re: Python vs PHP)

[A.M. Kuchling]

On 9 Jul 2003 06:20:24 GMT, 
	Ng Pheng Siong <ngps at netmemetic.com> cited:
>   Wafer is a research project which compares the many open source web
>   application frameworks which are available using a common example
>   application. 

At PyCon, it was generally agreed at the Web programming BoF that the
authors of the various Python frameworks should all implement the same
example application so that potential users can compare the resulting code.
Nothing much has been done on this front since then; we should get things
moving again by figuring out what the example application should be.
The Java Pet Store was suggested, but it was pointed out that it's a very
large application, requiring too much effort for an author to do in their
spare time.  

That reminds me: there was also a proposal to revive the Web-SIG.  Ian,
anything moving on this front?  (My offer to host a list still stands.)

Let's think about the requirements for an example application:

      * Should be implementable in a few evenings
      * Should exercise a reasonable set of features.
      	* HTML generation (duh!)
	* Accepting a form
	* Returning non-HTML files (generating a GIF, say)
      	* Sessions
	* Uploading a file
	* RDBMS access?  (That's more a function of the DB-API module you're 
	  using, but a framework might provide support for pooling 
	  connections or something similar.)
	* Other suggestions?
	
Possibilities:
* A Wiki?
* A multiple-user weblog?
* A Slashdot-like discussion board?
* A simple content manager -- upload files, set permissions on them,
  control access to them, and download them again.
* A simple browse-a-catalog-and-buy-things store?
* Other suggestions?

I think I like the store best, because the first three applications are
all text-oriented, and the content manager doesn't do much beyond spitting back
file contents and keeping a smidgen of metadata.  With a store, we need
sessions for the shopping cart, and can invent some need for generating
on-the-fly images.

---amk
Thanks. The sooner I get discouraged and quit, the more time I'll save
overall.
      -- Frank Sergeant, 28 Mar 1999