Delphi underrated, IDE clues for Python

[Carlos Ribeiro]

On Fri, 26 Nov 2004 20:46:47 -0500, Caleb Hattingh <caleb1 at telkomsa.net> wrote:
> I have been using Delphi 6 at work for several years now (python where I
> can squeeze it in!).
> 
> As a programming environment, Delphi is *awesome*.  Sure, it's statically
> typed.  Sure, it's proprietry. Sure, it is Windows-based.
> 
> BUT as an IDE, the Delphi environment is amazing.  What I want in a Python
> IDE is the Delphi ide, but with python as the language.  The
> *code-insight*, code/class completion, integrated debugging, integrated
> help, and *incredibly* fast GUI design is a killer combination.  We
> actually use Delphi mostly for numerical stuff (chemical reactor
> modelling), and find its runtime speed is pretty good.  The other amazing
> thing is that Delphi exhibits the fastest compilation I have seen in a
> native optimising compiler.  Working with it is almost like working in an
> interpreter.
> 
> So why is my wish to use Python if I think Delphi is so great?
> 
> Because Python is dynamic and compact while still easy to read (although
> decorators have curbed my enthusiasm a little).  Python is just a better
> language.  ObjectPascal syntax is very verbose (compared to Python).  The
> Delphi IDE minimizes this issue to great extent with several
> code-completion mechanisms, but I tried to use FPC several days ago
> (without Lazarus), and couldn't type up a simple unit without referring
> the docs - After having used Delphi for 5 years!  I was 80% productive in
> Python after reading the tutorial *once* (but probably not with the most
> optimal code).

That's an interesting remark. I felt the same while trying to write
code using FPC. It's actually a tribute to Delphi's IDE design that
they manage to hide that much complexity. On the other hand, it's a
tribute to Python because it manages to be *so* simple as not to need
an IDE for most tasks.
 
> STILL...Having a Delphi-like IDE for Python would make me giddy.    I know
> there are several ever-improving options out there already...I guess I am
> waiting to see which one floats to the surface.  I also tend to want to
> use Tk because it is the 'standard' while the more exciting work seems to
> be with the other toolkits, wx, GTK, etc.   I am keen to see what becomes
> of Tk3000 though.

If you like Delphi, and want a GUI constructor, Boa Constructor is an
interesting project for you to check. I used it a little bit, but in
the end, I felt it was too heavy for my computer at the time (it was
really old & slow). Since then I have upgraded my configuration, but
haven't tried it again.

Boa is still not at the 1.0 stage (meaning that it's really deemed not
to be stable enough), but it's already quite usable. In my own
personal opinion, the interface is not as well organized as Delphi's,
and I feel it could be improved. However, it's pretty easy to say that
and *not* contribute any patch to solve the situation :-) so take my
opinion with a large grain of salt. (And of course, I still think that
Riaan is a great guy, and that all the work done by him on Boa is
amazing).

-- 
Carlos Ribeiro
Consultoria em Projetos
blog: http://rascunhosrotos.blogspot.com
blog: http://pythonnotes.blogspot.com
mail: carribeiro at gmail.com
mail: carribeiro at yahoo.com