[Zope] DTML sux :-)

[Adam Manock]

You can write horrible Zope apps very quickly and easily, and DTML will let 
you get away with it.

I've seen developers copy folders full of ugly DTML to new folders, change 
a few things inside a few of the methods in the new folder, and that's how 
a new menu item is born.
I've seen Zope apps with 300 DTML methods, and only 6 python scripts, and 
those 6 would have been in DTML if it were possible. (Python as a last 
resort because developer X doesn't want to learn another language)

In short, I've seen Zope apps with absolutely no separation between the 
application and presentation layers. Zope, and more specifically DTML, is 
flexible enough to let you do this.

Just because you CAN create a working prototype of an application using a 
mixture of DTML and HTML during what should be the design phase of a 
project, doesn't mean you SHOULD.
If you want to hack up a barely working un-manageable mess of DTML in the 
shortest possible amount of time, and then call it a "production ready" web 
application after a week of bug chasing, then DTML will help you do this.
If you want to create a highly structured, easily maintainable and 
extensible object oriented web application, and you want to apply one more 
of the "light" SDLC methodologies to your project, then ZPT is your best 
friend. There's nothing better than completed GUI templates for helping to 
test your understanding of the requirements and use cases. Your users will 
gladly contribute to this process.

Just my two cents :-)

Adam