Firedrop, New Docs, easy to use python blog software...

[Ron Stephens]

Paul Rubin <http://phr.cx@NOSPAM.invalid> wrote in message news:

> Why on earth does this need wxPython?  Why can't it just use a web
> front end?

Hmm, um, well, yes, now that you mention it, I guess it could just use
a web browser as a front end. After all, content produced by Firedrop
is meant to be viewed on the web after all, and if a web browser were
the front end (instead of wxPython) then one could use any device with
a browser (such as my Zaurus PDA, which runs Opera) to produce blog
posts or other content.

So you got me thinking about it, and at the risk of further displaying
my ignorance, I came up with three possible advantages to using
wxPython:

1. Perhaps wxPython offers a bigger set of widgets to work with than
is available using just a browser with html, allowing a better user
experience, during the content creation and management activity (as
opposed to when the content is being viewed on the web). Actually, it
is theoretically possible that one could use the ArticleCollection
aspect of Firedrop for content that is not meant to be viewed on the
web, so that the content might need graphical capabilities beyond
those in web browsers; but I don't think this a major factor.

2. Using wxPython, along with wax, may be just plain easier (and more
enjoyable ) to program with. One of the main goals of the firedrop
project, as I understand it, is to be easy and fun to extend using
Python, wxPython, and wax. Perhaps this combination gives a more
Pythonic overall programming experience than using only Python and a
web browser front end.

3. As a learning exercise, if one wants to improve one's ability to
program in wxPython, extending and adding features to Firedrop may be
worth while beyond its sheer utilitarian value, for which a web
browser front end might be in some ways preferable.

I stand ready to be corrected on any or all of the above speculations.
I am a clueless newbie after all, but your post did prompt me to
think, so I offer my response.

Maybe Hans will weigh in on this subject...

Also, I think Hans has an article on Firedrop (and Kaa, an earlier,
similar project of his using Tkinter instead of wxPython) in an
upcoming issue of Pyzine.

Ron Stephens