jeudi 2 février 2006

Python, web frameworks, acts of good faith, making the case Boy, things have gotten stirred up lately regarding Python web frameworks.  Clinically, it's interesting seeing the direction of the discussion and responses.  My vote for the most humorous, and perhaps insightful, post goes to Carlos de la Guardia's take on the feeding frenzy. Prior to all of this happening, the Zope community, primarily under Jim's tireless championing and real efforts, has spent 3 years making itself more Pythonic.  Hopefully the Python folks will have open minds. Last month I took a step to extend that into the social space as well.  For 4 years, since the conference began, I've been a chair for the Zope track at EuroPython.  It's always proven to be a very big draw...in some years, it provides almost half of the attendance.  This year I proposed to change the track to be a web frameworks track.  See my email (and follow-up on a typo) to the EuroPython list. That's an act of good faith on the Zope side.  Hopefully this combined track will let us learn from each other, dispell irrational prejudices, and make sure whatever the future holds for Python web frameworks, we minimize the hard feelings. How do I feel on the responses about Zope?  First, I think part of it is silly.  As pointed out, discounting Zope simply because its config format looks different is a decoy.  There could be a blessed config file, Zope could adopt it tomorrow, and the same group would find another thing to complain about.  There's a lot of tribalism and NIH going on.  (I remember Moshe talking about a Python t-shirt with the slogan: "I wrote my own.") At the same time, the Zope comments bring up some points of merit.  I'd say the biggest reason Zope is getting this spin has nothing to do with code.  Instead, it's style.  In the other projects, the project popes try hard to convince the outside world to care.  They make screencast movies.  They publish regularly on weblogs.  They speak at conferences.  But they don't view advocacy as someone else's job. Zope doesn't market itself much.  Zope doesn't do speeches or booths at conferences.  And Zope certainly doesn't do screencasts.  In short, Zope doesn't reach out enough.  Subsequently, though Zope really has changed its thinking and its code, not many people know it.  Socially, Zope is still the island it was technically until recently. I think the biggest thing Zope needs is for one of the core team, just like in the other projects, to become an evangelist.  Write less code and write more blog entries.  Make the case for Zope!  Explain the places where Zope excels, and equally, explain the places where Zope is not a good choice.  Find places where web frameworks are discussed and get Zope's hat in the ring.  Be the voice of Zope. Things have gotten better.  Jim is trying really hard.  I see his posts on the Twisted list, and I see his posts (and Stephan and others) on the Web-SIG list.  We need someone, though, to speak about Zope beyond the implementors.  Make the case for Zope! 2:01:46 PM   comment []