Tkinter: The good, the bad, and the ugly!

[rantingrick]

On Dec 30, 10:41 pm, Adam Skutt <ask... at gmail.com> wrote:
> On Dec 30, 11:24 pm, rantingrick <rantingr... at gmail.com> wrote:
> > Exactly! All we need to do is replace the existing Tkinter with a
> > small sub-set of wxPython widgets that mirrors exactly what we have
> > now...
>
> > Toplevel
> > Label
> > Entry
> > Button
> > Radiobutton
> > Checkbutton
> > Canvas
> > Textbox
> > Listbox
> > Menu
> > Scale
> > Scrollbar

> I have never, ever, made a GUI that consistent only of those options
> excep when following a tutorial, sorry.  While I won't claim to stand
> for anyone else, I'm hardly alone, judging by /every application
> running on my desktop right now/.  Well, maybe notepad.

Of course a tiny widget set like this is not going to handle extensive
GUI coding, thats a no brainer. But currently that is EXACTLY what we
have to work with in the stdlib. Sure you have TIX and a few other
extensions but they will never compare to the vast features of
wxPython. Have you even aquinted yourself with wxPython Adam?

 What i (and others) are proposing is to replace the existing Tkinter
library with a matching wxPython libray. Then allocate the remaining
wxPython library (which is ginormous btw!) into a 3rd party module
available for download. My argument is that because wxPython is soooo
feature rich. We will break the glass ceiling that exist now with
Tkinter.


> Interesting applications require interesting features.  Anything you
> end up writing is going to be at least as complicated as TkInter for
> the standard library, if not vastly more so,

Agreed! We need at least the same capability that Tkinter offers in
the stdlib. Why would we sacrifice?

> and have all of the same
> faults you find in TkInter.

Thats not true. Yes all projects have faults of some kind. I am not
suggesting that wxPython is some sort of "miracle" library. However
anyone of average intelligence can do a side by side comparison and
agree that wx is far superior to TclTk in many, many ways. If you have
a valid argument as to how Tkinter is better feel free to share this
information with us.

>  This would be because such problems are
> fundamentally inescapable, a simple fact of reality you have yet to
> even grasp, AFAICT, much yet acknowledge.

Adam, Adam. I feel you are desperately trying to inject negative
energy into what is now the very beginnings of a healthy and positive
community discussion on the future of Python's GUI library. If you do
care about Python's future then you should get involved with this
discussion in a positive way. You can disagree with me and still be
positive. I wish you would spend more energy bringing forth your own
ideas and thoughtful discussion instead of resorting to these wasteful
and vengeful tactics.

So with that in mind i ask you some direct questions...

1. Do you use Tkinter yourself?
2. Explain some of the applications you have created with Tkinter.
3. How do you feel about Tkinter being in the stdlib?
4. Should Python even include a GUI library?
5. If so, what traits should this library encompass?
6. If you could choose what library do you think would be in the
communities best interest?