I, for one, find Python code much more readable than Perl code,
especially when going back to it (or reading someone else's).  Simple
things are usually a little easier to do in Perl, but Python scales up
very nicely.

For Web applications, I like XML, XSLT, and CSS
(http://outgoing.typepad.com/outgoing/2005/04/web_application.html).
Once you push enough of the interface functionality into those, the
remaining interface code can even be written in Java without too much
pain.

--Th


-----Original Message-----
From: Code for Libraries [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of
Chris Gray
Sent: Thursday, April 07, 2005 10:25 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: [CODE4LIB] Perl or Python?

I have two pieces of advice.

1) This one I take from Philip Greenspun
<http://philip.greenspun.com/panda/databases-interfacing>:  Don't
switch.
If you already know one of these tools, stay with what you know and
leverage your existing expertise; any of these tools can get the job
done.
Be suspicious of religious bias behind any other advice.

2) Take any excuse you can to learn Python; you'll be glad you did.
(Sorry if my religion is showing through ;)

Chris

"The brain is a wonderful organ. It starts working the moment you get up
in the morning and does not stop until you get into the office." -Robert
Frost

On Fri, 1 Apr 2005, Ed Summers wrote:

> On Thu, Mar 31, 2005 at 10:04:30PM -0500, NCR Lab wrote:
> > However, I'm getting a bit tired of doing the command-line thing, so
> > i've been looking at python and perl and trying to figure out which
> > would be better to create a web-based interface to enter data and
> > display queries.  Or maybe I should just use php?
>
> I would second the suggestion for PHP. If you are just getting your
feet
> wet with web programming PHP is a logical choice since it streamlines
> some things for you. You can start out by simply including some code
in your
> HTML source, and gradually build up to where you are building a
complete
> web application.
>
> That said, I think that python and perl have a great deal more
> versatility for building non-web applications. If you are
> looking for a language that you can learn and use for other tasks I
> would recommend looking at Python (just my preference). If you are
> looking for the right tool for this particular job you have in front
of
> you I'd investigate using PHP. Learning PHP by O'Reilly is a good book
> to start with.
>
> If you are feeling adventurous it might also be worthwhile considering
ruby
> and the ruby-on-rails [1] web framework. ruby is a youngest language
in the
> same family as python and perl. rails has been getting a lot of press
in
> the past year for its elegance and simplicity. That said it probably
> appeals most to people who are fed up with other web frameworks :)
>
> //Ed
>
> [1] http://www.rubyonrails.org/
>