[Zope] Zope Evaluation

[Jon Whitener]

At 10/17/2003 09:00 AM, Gabriela López Ruiz wrote:
>I'm evaluating Zope platform and Zope products, just in a general way. My main goal is to find out if I can use Zope as a simple platform where we could develop and delivery web-based applications.

You will fail to find many Zope opponents on this list!  I don't know your level of expertise or your ambitions.  What I can tell you, in addition to other comments you've received, is this:

Zope is a dream come true for building dynamic Web-sites.

You will very much want to know/learn Python.  It's the easiest programming language I know of.

The community of users (i.e. this mail list) is very active and very responsive.  You won't find a more dedicated or helpful crew.

Documentation is less than ideal for the Zope newbie.  (You will find a lot of out-dated advice.)  The Zope Book  http://www.zope.org/Documentation/Books/ZopeBook/2_6Edition  is your best resource.  May I also suggest my introduction to Zope at http://zope.org/Members/jwhitener/zopeZoo_2_6 which emphasizes dynamic content (but not databases).

Ignore DTML (old technology) and concentrate on Zope Page Templates and Python Scripts.

In my experience, Zope has been completely reliable, though my site does not get huge amounts of traffic.

Development of Zope Products (which you will need to do to create your own Web apps) is challenging to the newbie, but once you figure that first one out, you will see the beauty of them.

That said, I heartily endorse Zope as a great way to put content on the Web.  Like anything else, Zope is not perfectly simple or easy, but I love it for its many design strengths and advantages.

Jon Whitener
Detroit Michigan USA
http://michigan.mybrighthouse.com/