[Zope] Re: Java re-invents DTML :-)

Fernando Martins fmartins@hetnet.nl
Mon, 24 Feb 2003 00:57:11 +0100


Terry Hancock wrote:
[...]
> Some people would consider that an organizational problem.
> Either pay for
> training, or get smarter designers. ;-D
>

Yeah, but not so simple to go from theory to practice. And one has to live
with "in the meanwhile".

[...]
> As for the "try it and you'll know we're right" attitude -- If I
> bought into that, I'd be programming web pages in Lisp by now.
> Lispers have been swearing we'll all convert as soon as we get over
> our irrational fear of parentheses since, what?, the 1970's?

Hey! I've been there. I used it for a year and it is impressive. But uses
another paradigm (mind set) and lots of recursion (which a lot of
programmers don't get). It looks like Python borrowed a few elements from it
(e.g. map) and maybe others could be adopted. ;-)

[...]
> I think the real distinction between ZPT and DTML partisans is what it is
> they spend most of their time doing, and how they think about the
> resulting applications:  If you are using a basically static site design,
> which is simply a front-end to a python application, ZPT may be great
> -- and if it solves your organizational problem, very much so.  But if
> your site is basically generative -- being itself restructured by the
> output of a python application, and not a mere vessel for it, then DTML
> is awfully handy.

This is the most intriguing statement. It appears you are mixing logic with
presentation in Python, which we all know should be avoided. Do you have
some case in mind to clarify? (I barely know DTML, so it's hard for me to
get your point.)

Cheers,
Fernando