[Web-SIG] Pre-PEP: Python Web Container Interface v1.0

[Michael C. Neel]

> I'm guessing that for mod_python, the proposed interface 
> isn't as suitable, 
> doubtless prompting some of Grisha's concerns.  From a 
> mod_python point of 
> view, the proposed interface is "lossy", at least from a 
> performance point 
> of view, and probably also from a power/flexibility point of view.
> 
> But the flip side is that if this "lossy" interface were available in 
> mod_python, it would actually bring many more users to 
> mod_python, since 
> they'd be able to use a wider variety of frameworks with it.  
> If those 
> users then came to want things that weren't available through 
> the narrow 
> "runCGI" interface, then they could consider doing additional 
> work to use 
> mod_python's native interface.
> 
> I know that I, for one, would be more likely to experiment with other 
> mod_python capabilities once I had my "foot in the door" via 
> the simple 
> interface.

This highlights my two concerns with this PEP, which I've been following
the thread on.

One is how willing are developers of the current systems to rewrite or
provide a wrapper for this new one?  Off the top of my head I know
mod_python has for it: (it's own) PSP and Publisher, Albatross, Spyce,
and Draco.  Can we really expect all of these to update to use this new
standard?  Or do we just want mod_python to expose another interface?

Which leads to my other concern; should this even be a concern?  The
goal here is to update/add to the stdlib.  Since the odds of mod_python
becoming part of the stdlib are nil, should we even worry about a spec
for things like mod_python and Zope?

I freely admit I don't "get it" yet, and may be missing the bigger
picture.  This sounds to me like a Java server type of thing - a generic
enough framework when I can take my app from one system to another with
no changes needed.  While I need my client side to be as flexible as
possbible, it's extreamly rare that in pratice it's needed at the server
side because it's rare the whole platform changes (and usally when it
does it along with a rewrite/upgrade to the app anyway, making keeping
the code even less useful).

That said, I want anything in the stdlib to jive, so that if I change
from one class to another (for the same role), they both expose the same
interface.  So in that scope, I see something like this being very
helpful.

Mike