[Zope] Zope vs J2EE

[Chris McDonough]

Nemeth,

I've seen you ask this question a couple times here and as you're
getting no response, I figured I'd put my $.02 in despite a marked lack
of experience in developing apps in Java.  I can therefore only give a
10,000-foot perspective on why using Zope/Python might be a strategic
advantage as opposed to using another app server that is built on
Java/J2EE.

1.  Zope is built on Python.  Python is widely considered much easier to
learn than Java and I've heard many folks say that building apps in
Python takes less time than building apps in Java.

2.  Zope and Python are open source software, unlike the combination of,
for example, Netscape Application Server and Java.  This means that if
the company who sells you the app server (in the case of Zope, Digital
Creations) bites the dust, you are not left holding the bag on a product
that lacks support avenues.  Worst-case, you may have to maintain the
source yourself.  In the case of Zope and Python, however, there is a
fairly wide established user base, pretty much guaranteeing that you'll
be able to communicate with other folks who've picked up the ball upon
the (tragic) demise of the company who publishes the software.  Think of
it this way:  would you like to be a cc:Mail shop right now?

3.  For a good Java/NAS slam, go read Philip Greenspun's
gracefully-titled "Why the Netscape Application Server Sucks" at
http://www.photo.net/wtr/application-servers.html

Good luck!

Nemeth Miklos wrote:
> 
> In our department I have decided (as a CTO) to use Zope for an ecommerce
> application server.
> And I also would like to use it for another application for a customer.
> I will have a presentation about Zope and our plans in a 3-day technical
> conference of our corporation.
> 
> Can I have some (primarily technical) arguments why Zope is better to
> some (especially Java-based) specific web application server tool
> (WebSphere, Oracle Application Server, Oracle8i, NetDynamics, etc)?
> 
> I'd be very glad if some of you share his thoughts about the topic.
> 
> NM
> 

-- 
Chris McDonough
Digital Creations, Inc.
Zope - http://www.zope.org