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From: Dan Strohl <D.Strohl@F5.com>
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Subject: RE: Considering migrating to Python from Visual Basic 6 for engineering applications
Date: Thu, 18 Feb 2016 16:00:57 +0000
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Disadvantages of python... (compared to VB)

That's a hard one, but here are my thoughts:  (keep in mind that these kind=
s of discussions are subjective and much is based on the background and exp=
erience of the coder, these are also assuming that 100% of your audience is=
 on windows, as soon as you start talking about cross platform support, VB =
gets much harder to use (yes, you could use it on Linus, via a web based ap=
p, or an emulator if you HAD to).

- I find that VB is much easier at making quick GUI apps (for windows).

- VB is easier to integrate with office apps and other windows specific thi=
ngs (there are some python modules that will access office files etc, but i=
f you want to have an engineering app that directly integrates / interacts =
with excel, VB is probably better.

- I find VB is easier to package and distribute.  (there are some good util=
ities that will take Python and package it into an exe, along with all of t=
he needed pieces, interpreter, etc, but those all require some level of wor=
k to setup and make work... not a lot sometimes, but certainly more than "c=
lick compile" and copy the .exe file.

- VB is often, for simple apps, often simpler to learn for non-programmers.=
  (I know I will get slammed for that one).  For complex apps, I find VB ha=
rder to do things than Python, but for example, if I wanted to make a quick=
 windows calculator, I would probably go to VB first.)

My approach is generally:

I use Python for:
- server apps, web based apps, plugins, modules, library development, or ap=
ps that I want to be able to expand later with plugins, console apps and ut=
ilities (things that I am only going to run from the CLI anyway),  performa=
nce focused apps (unless I need to go all the way to C for performance), an=
ything that might ever need to be cross platform, apps that interact with o=
ther (non-Microsoft) apps.

I use VB for:
Quick user focused, non-web apps, apps that are used in or directly with Mi=
crosoft Office apps, apps that I am developing for someone else that is a V=
B programmer (or non-programmer but might poke at them).. apps that I need =
to distribute to lots of less controlled workstations that don't have pytho=
n on them already.

These days, I find that I am using VB much less than Python, most of the re=
asons that I would pick VB can be overcome by developing a cloud app instea=
d of a local app, but there are still times that VB is the right tool (for =
me at least).





> -----Original Message-----
> From: Python-list [mailto:python-list-bounces+d.strohl=3Df5.com@python.or=
g] On
> Behalf Of wrong.address.1@gmail.com
> Sent: Thursday, February 18, 2016 7:33 AM
> To: python-list@python.org
> Subject: Re: Considering migrating to Python from Visual Basic 6 for engi=
neering
> applications
>=20
> torstai 18. helmikuuta 2016 17.21.32 UTC+2 Oscar Benjamin kirjoitti:
> > On 18 February 2016 at 11:32, Chris Angelico <rosuav@gmail.com> wrote:
> > > On Thu, Feb 18, 2016 at 10:11 PM,  <wrong.address.1@gmail.com> wrote:
> > >> Almost everything points positively for Python. Thanks to all of you=
 who
> have responded. But please also tell me the disadvantages of Python. If I=
 start
> using Python, I should be aware of the price I am paying. Speed is not a =
big
> problem for me, so an interpreted language is fine. Is packaging/installi=
ng very
> messy? Do I create dozens of files for a simple program calculating the s=
um of
> two numbers and product of two numbers in text boxes with one command to
> be clicked? Can I learn this much in the first couple of hours?
> > >>
> > >
> > > There are a few warts, particularly on Windows, as regards packaging
> > > and third-party modules. Anything that's written in pure Python is
> > > fairly easy; stuff that's written in C is sometimes a bit hairy. But
> > > that's a limitation on the "extended library" of PyPI, not the stuff
> > > that comes with Python itself.
> >
> > For packaging/installing it really depends on what you're trying to
> > do. You have to understand that Python is used in many very different
> > ways in different environments and ecosystems so there just isn't a
> > single way of doing it.
> >
> > It sounds to me as if all of your needs can be solved in pure Python
> > code possibly using some of the popular extension modules from PyPI.
> > In this case it's actually very easy to package/install. You can
> > package your code simply by zipping it up with a __main__.py file.
> > Someone who wants to install it will simply have a two step process:
> > first install Python (and possibly a few dependencies) and then obtain
> > the zip file with your code in it.
> >
> > --
> > Oscar
>=20
> This form of packing is not desirable. I can't ask other people to instal=
l Python on
> their machines, and I also would not want show most of the code doing the
> calculations.
>=20
> Another question I have is regarding reading numerical data from text fil=
es. Is it
> necessary to read one character at a time, or can one read like in Fortra=
n and
> Basic (something like Input #5, X1, X2, X3)?
> --
> https://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/python-list