windev vs python SOS

[Sebastian Kaliszewski]

stéphane bard wrote:
> hello, my boss ask me to prefer windev to python.
> I have to argue
> 
>  - python work on multiple platform (linux, mac, windows)
>     A good point but it didn't interest him. Because
>     we want to choose a language for prototyping.
>     So multi platform is not enough.
> 
>  - python and windev are fast to develop
> 
>  - windev as a good IDE, python? boa-constructor is ok with wxpython
> 
>  - python is open source (that's not an argument for my boss, sorry 
> it's     a boss ...)
> 
> any idea for a strong argument ?

Python is widely known and tested, windev is not. Stuff not widely used (and 
thus not well verified by Real World(tm)) is a Big Business Risk(tm). Things 
looking pretty on marketing presentations might show its ugly head in Real 
Life(tm) where Real Money(tm) is at stake (and in fact they do in vast 
majority of cases).

Python is widely known and has Good Track Record(tm). Windev has not.

Python is known to integrate well into Windows. Is your boss really sure 
that windev is good there? How about various corner cases?

Does your boss know about .net? Tell him about IronPython (If Microsoft 
thinks its good, why your boss should not?). If your boss thinks .net is 
crap and Java rules, tell him about Jython.

It's relatively easy to find (hire) Python programmers. It's not true in 
case of windev programmers. If your boss needs more people or some people 
leave (and thus must be replaced), it's a Real Cost(tm) to train new people 
new windev tricks. Is your boss willing to take the risk that new people 
will need 1-2 months to get fluent with windev (as he may well forget about 
hiring trained windev developer in a reasonable amount of time, while hiring 
trained python developer is possible).


rgds
-- 
Sebastian Kaliszewski