question about including something like sqlite in python

[Frank Millman]

John Salerno wrote:
> I was just thinking, since Python 3.0 is supposed to clean up a lot of
> the unnecessary or redundant features of Python and make other things
> more streamlined, does it seem to anyone that including SQLite goes
> against this goal?
>
> This is just me thinking out loud, mind you, but it seems like including
>   a database module (especially one that many people won't use in favor
> of MySQL or PostgreSQL, etc.) is weighing down the standard library. I
> suppose the sqlite module might still be removed in 3.0, but the
> inclusion of it at all seems a little strange (and also sort of like an
> endorsement for using it).
>
> I can see how it would be helpful to include something like hashlib, for
> example, because it streamlines the different hashing modules, and even
> ElementTree, which might be seen as the standard way to work with XML.
>
> Anyway, I'd be curious to hear other people's thoughts about this. Maybe
> I'm looking at it the wrong way.

I was very pleased to learn that pysqlite will be incorporated into
Python 2.5.
 Here's why.

I am developing a business/accounting app. As I am targeting the
mid-range, it must be inherently robust and scalable. Therefore I have
restricted the databases supported to two - PostgreSQL on Linux, and MS
Sql Server on Windows. (Yes I know that PostgreSQL works on Windows,
but I figure that if a company has a policy of using MS products, that
will include the database, and if not, a Linux server is a better
option.)

The downside is that there is quite a bit of setting up to do before
you can use it, and that is likely to be a deterrent for someone who
just wants to try it out.

With pysqlite incorporated, I can knock up a demo version that uses it,
and it will work straight out of the box. This is a major benefit. I
have not started looking into it yet, but it is definitely on my to-do
list.

Frank Millman