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Thread: hmmm.. can't decide

  1. #1
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    hmmm.. can't decide

    Hello all,

    Before recently, I was mainly a PHP developer with some Python/C++ knowledge and did mostly powerful DB driven web based applications but I'm really tired of PHP because I dont like working with alot HTML and templating engines and the such. So I have been getting into application development more and more lately until a few days ago (christmas eve) I spent the whole day writing my first complete, fully functional and stable, and most of all, useful application I've ever made. I made it using Python and wxPython and I REALLY like that combination. As far as C++ I made some program for health using GTKMM and I really liked that. I tried wxWidgets but for some reason g++ just DOES NOT like it, it just refuses to compile. Even the tutorials which are known to work, wont compile. So I through that out the window.

    Anyway, the program I made with Python, I called gPyCompile, and its a GUI for the python bytecode compiler. So my question is, since im not sure really what to do, should I continue with development of my current program (i have plans for a build system for it and stuff) or should I try and port my python program to C++ (because I really like compiled languages and I am most familiar with C-like syntax from my years of work with PHP) or should I start an entirely new project, OR I was thinking about joining a Python or C++ project. Although if I join a project, I normally like to just talk directly to owners/founders, so basically project owners, I would prefer you post here and maybe talk on MSN or something.

    I am really comfortable so with Python & wxPython and C++ & GTKMM so I would be able to help in either of those. I really like both languages, I have no complaints about Python nor C++ (well C++ is a PAIN IN THE A*S when it comes to external librariesm) but other than that I like both pretty equally.

    :/ So what should I do? If you have a project in either Py/wxPy or C++/GTK feel free to post.

    Thanks!
    -maddog39

  2. #2
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    Re: hmmm.. can't decide

    Just to complicate things even more; PyGTK is also an option.

    I have no suggestions as to what you could do if you only consider Python and C++. But disregarding that; I'd like some help with my SWGtk-project -- written in Lisp.

    I'm hoping to use FreeNX and SWGtk as a way to "distribute" remote server-executed applications to both Linux, Windows and Mac-users; ignoring all the AJAX-mumbo-jumbo and instead have a client I am able to control (IE is closed source, and I'm pretty much unable to fix any bug in the always hairy FF ..etc.).
    Last edited by lnostdal; December 27th, 2006 at 07:32 AM.

  3. #3
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    Re: hmmm.. can't decide

    I have several python and C++ projects going, just hobby stuff. Mostly involving OpenGL. My signature has two of them, some other ones include:

    • Genetic algorithm alife
    • A 100% python+OpenGL fps
    • A c++/python interfacing library (like boost, but simpler)
    • A tiny byte-language VM (a language could be used to compile to the bytecode)


    And some little experiment projects that I pick up and put back down from time-to-time.

    I generally don't do much full-time team work, mostly just open source "do what you can, just keep track of it" type projects.

  4. #4
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    Re: hmmm.. can't decide

    Oooo, first person shooter and the VM sound good. Although anything 3D related is totally out of my realm and I cant do some of the math stuff required for that. Although that FPS sounds reeally nice. Keep going with it. I was though, thinking about a programmers editor. Now, I know youur going to say; arent there already enough editors/IDEs out there? The answer is yes, but most of them (in my opinion anyway) really suck, or are too slow for my patience OR are way too bloated OR dont have the right features or good enough features. I've spent countless, and I mean countless, hours searching google and especially sourceforge for good IDEs and text editors and stuff. I pretty much dont like any of them. The only two I can tolerate are jEdit and Geany. Geany, at the current moment is my favorite, I used to like jEdit but on my PowerBook its just too slow and has alot of querks with the plugin system and certain plugins which I deem necissary for my kind of development.

    [Edit]
    @Wybiral: Just thought, it might be useful to compile that FPS into bytecode. Which gives me another reason to make a build system for python. GUI based too! Autoconf/Automake is a huge hassel to configure and a gigantic pain to deal with. Not to mention it doesnt even support python.
    Last edited by maddog39; December 27th, 2006 at 07:54 AM.

  5. #5
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    Re: hmmm.. can't decide

    lol, yeah, I'm a texteditor kind of guy. Anyway... I do plan to make some kind of scripting interface for the FPS, and it will be python based, so you could write some kick-@*& level/AI scripts whenever I get it rolling for examples of how to script things...

    I'm actually kindof leaning towards making it a super-easy to use FPS engine as a python module. That way everything can be neatly obscured from the python programmer and they can use things like "myModel = loadModel('guy.obj')" and "rotateModel(myModel)" to create all of the scenes and such.

    Speaking of editors... Basic4SDL is without an editor at the time, if anyone feels like writing an IDE for it, that would really rock too. With python binding, I can actually access Basic4SDL's VM to return variable states and stuff, so a debugging feature could be added to the IDE as well.

    My tiny VM project is probably going to be pretty small and useless... I've just been thinking about writing a tiny VM to compile some random language into opcode for. I've been wondering what it would be like to create a brand new language (I'm working on a BASIC VM based off of Basic4GL, but BASIC is... well, BASIC).

  6. #6
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    Re: hmmm.. can't decide

    Hmm... the FPS engine is a real good idea, I dont think any of the current game engines make it nearly as easy as you describe it. So here is where I stand I guess, I think I might add a build system to gPyCompile (btw, its on google code now, click here) and I submitted my text editor project idea to SourceForge and I think I will go along with it. It will support VB/VB.NET syntax highlighting which is pretty much compatible with your B4SDL syntax, or atleast pretty close right? I could also use the python-dev package to import and use the module in C++ so that B4SDL programs can run in a VM for debugging.

    [Edit]
    I also forgot to mention that I have tried PyGTK, but just never did much with it.
    Last edited by maddog39; December 27th, 2006 at 08:15 PM.

  7. #7
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    Re: hmmm.. can't decide

    Quote Originally Posted by maddog39 View Post
    So my question is ... should I continue with development of my current program (...) or should I try and port my python program to C++ (because I really like compiled languages and I am most familiar with C-like syntax from my years of work with PHP) or should I start an entirely new project, OR I was thinking about joining a Python or C++ project.
    IMHO before you will go and start your own project, it might be useful to participate in a running project first. Just to see how it works from inside, what problems tend to arise and how to handle them. So when you will start your own project (in which you are not sure yet), you will know how to manage it and it will be more smooth ride for you and your community.

    Porting something to C++ makes little sense unless performance is critical. Python is easier to maintain and extend, and if speed is not a problem, it is not a problem

    So I would suggest joining a python project - easier to read the code to get in, easier to modify/extend to add new features.

    You mentioned IDEs - did you looked into my favorite python's IDE, SPE? i especially like sidebar with procedure names and ##--- comments - bookmarks. If you are interested, I can give you 2 missing little cool features which would be nice to have in the SPE.

    BTW you cannot trust Wybiral's advice on IDE: he is known to prefer gedit instead of proper python IDE. (Hi Wybiral I am back from my vacation)

  8. #8
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    Re: hmmm.. can't decide

    lol, you cannot trust pmasiar because he may or may not eat children...

    Gedit rules... In your face!

    ** The author of this post would just like to specify that this post is meant for entertainment and educational purposes only and does not necessarily reflect his own views **

    (I was kidding btw, to the best of my knowledge, pmasiar hasn't eaten children in years...)

    ANYWAY... If you make an IDE, I recommend not adding too much stuff (as cool as it may sound) and trying to keep it small and CPU efficient... I just can't stand having a bunch of junk in the way and this tiny little box to code in... I want nothing extra, some syntax highlighting, maybe a pull-down menu with tools and stuff... But big boxes rule.

  9. #9
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    Re: hmmm.. can't decide

    I am also a fan of the text editor for all of my work, though I tend to jump between GEdit and Vim (if I could get Vim to insert spaces instead of tabs I'd be gravy). I decided to look into SPE. Guess what? Website's down, and from what I can tell, it's been down a while.

  10. #10
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    Re: hmmm.. can't decide

    I got curious and tried SPE, but after I closed all of the excess stuff to get a decent sized text box... I might as well have used Gedit, lol. I just don't understand how people can program with those tiny viewports... Especially with python, you need that space for tabs, there should be no stuff on left/right.

    My programming style: open a terminal in the folder I am using, open my source files in that folder, edit with Gedit, click on terminal, enter my compile commands... Enter my execute commands. Once I enter them, I can just press up in the terminal to get them back with the command line history.

    If a project requires more than 2-4 commands to compile, I write up a makefile, and then all I have to do is type make. I don't think it's any more than clicking a menu, then a compile/run button in an IDE. Plus, gedit has tabs, so I can open multiple files when I need to. And syntax highlighting... And I really don't see the need for auto complete. So, while pmasiar thinks I'm a caveman, I just don't see a need for an IDE, especially for a language as simple as python.

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