A Python application server?

[Irmen de Jong]

Duncan Smith wrote:
> Hello,
>          I'm trying to put together a (basic) design for an online
> examination system.  The system already exists, but is based on Java
> technologies.  I have (probably prematurely) assured the author that the
> system could have been developed in Python.  This is based in faith rather
> than reason, as I have never had cause to consider such a thing before
> (although I can now envisage that I might need to develop a simple
> application server within the next year or so).
> 
> Having looked at PYRO, Twisted and WebWare I'm pretty confident that most of
> the technology is in place.  But I have been told that to emulate the
> existing system there would have to be a Python equivalent of an 'untrusted
> Java applet'.  (I'm not convinced this is actually necessary for the given
> app., but the existing system does use RMI and Java applets.)

Pyro is no "application server", it's more an enabling technology. Compare it 
with Java's RMI (but easier to use :-) ). Sure, Pyro contains a builtin 
server to dispatch incoming remote method calls to your own code, but it 
doesn't help you build a really complex system. Then again, you are free to 
build it the way you want: small & lean if that's all that is needed, large 
and complex if that's necessary, where Pyro fulfills the communication needs.

> What I'm basically trying to address is the following statement (from some
> of his lecture notes):
> 
> "Java is the only mainstream technology that adds the required level of
> safety for code travelling around a network, and the flexibility to invent
> our own controls, regardless of the operating system being used."

Pyro supports mobile code with a few technical limitations. There is NO 
security involved other than host-based and passphrase-based authentication 
(no sandboxed code or whatever).

> Forcing the client(s) to install much software is apparently out of the
> question (so no Grail / Python applets).  Any suggestions?  Cheers.

Will a web-based solution work (pure HTML pages)? Then all you need is a web 
browser on the clients. Leave all the difficult stuff on the server.

--Irmen