[Paraview] Reguarding python question

[Prabhu Ramachandran]

>>>>> "RF" == Robert Ferrell <ferrell at lanl.gov> writes:

    RF> <quote who="Wylie, Brian">
    >> I wanted to weigh in on this. Tcl/Tk is dying (I'm sure I'll
    >> get lots of flames for this). Realize it, start planning for
    >> it.
    >>
    >> Python and QT are now 'standards' within our Laboratory. They
    >> also have very good longevity outlooks. I know QT has issues
    >> with 'free' versions on windows. On the flip side open source
    >> projects should be international and the internationalization
    >> and localization support for QT is phenomenal.  The
    >> international user base would be nothing less than orgasmic if
    >> they could have menus and help text in their native languages.
    >>
    >> What percentage of ParaView contributors use windows?

    RF> I'm not a contributor, but I am a user.  I use Windows.  I
    RF> don't care much about free.  I care a lot about open source.
    RF> I have no problem spending $30 (or $300) for something that
    RF> works well (e.g. Qt).  (In almost every case, buying software,
    RF> even when it is expensive, is much cheaper than writing it
    RF> myself.)

    RF> I would very much like to see Python (and Qt) (PyQT?), become
    RF> the foundation for ParaView.  I'm not adept at Tcl/Tk, and
    RF> since it's dying, and I don't have much desire to become adept
    RF> at it.  That limits what I can do to customize ParaView for
    RF> myself.

Since I'm one bloke who has put in effort in a relevant direction with
MayaVi, here are my comments.

 1. The argument that internationalization would be great is quite
    funny if you ask me.  There isn't that great a market for tools
    like this.  Why?  I haven't seen one person who has the
    time/energy to put in some time into any of the relevant projects.
    If its anyone its folks from the academic/scientific community
    (with a fair amount of higher education), not the average bloke
    who needs to listen to music, send email and do routine things.
    Researchers and academcians are a small minority and are extremely
    busy.  Sorry, like it or not ParaView and tools like it are a
    niche.  So arguments about internationalizing it being a big
    selling point is incorrect.  Yes, it would be nice to have but its
    not a big deal and not where ones priorities should be.

 2. I agree that Tcl/Tk is dying.  But from what Berk said, there will
    be a nice enough interface for others to step in.  It takes time
    to get to a point with a design.  With a decent enough
    model-view-controller design you get best of all the worlds.  I'm
    not sure kitware wants to go down the Python side since they like
    and are used to Tcl a whole lot more.  Thats sad because from what
    I have seen Python is a better language for scientific computing.
    Of course, I am biased.

 3. If you want to really do something about a Python based tool, put
    your money/time where your mouth is. ;-) The only relevant Python
    based tool has been around three years now, and I haven't heard
    anyone there clamoring for a Qt interface or for
    internationalization.  Neither have I had a great hand at doing
    much of the work.  So yeah, its all very nice when someone else
    does the work.

 4. wxWindows/wxWidgets is another good option I'd say.  I don't like
    Qt's licensing.

I'm sorry to sound typically blunt and harsh.  From what I have seen
so far, you are only going to get a free OSS tool written in
Python/Qt, if I sit and write it. ;-D If not, you get a great Tcl
based one from Kitware.  Or if you insist on Python, live with a
simpler tool that does not handle large data in parallel (but works
quite well for small data).  If you want to improve that project, help
out.  If you think otherwise, show me the code and where the heck were
you all these years? ;-)

Luckily for me ParaView is not implemented in Python.  If it were, I'd
have to find myself a new hobby. ;-)

cheers,
prabhu