[Zope] Incompatibilities

[andre]

My general guidelines to learn Python/Zope/CMF/Plone as a non-english 
speaking, web-ignorant, non-programmer, non-object-oriented, 
non-pythoner, non-zoper, non-ploner, non-etc, self-learning guy.

First, i generally read chapters, just before before going to sleep. To 
load my brain as it works more and better at night.
Generally, when i wake up i have a faster and best understanding of what 
i'm learning.

Software
--------
While learning and/or testing, try to use the latest stable releases or 
close to stable. You will avoid to meet solved bugs and you'll benefit 
from new architecture and concepts.

Python 2.3.3 - stable -
Zope 2.7.0RC2
CMF 1.4.2 - stable -
Plone 2.0RC5

Links :
http://www.python.org/download/
http://zope.org/Products/Zope/2.7.0rc2
http://cmf.zope.org/download/CMF-1.4.2
http://plone.org/newsitems/plone2-rc4-available (it's really rc5 and not 
rc4)

Documentation
-------------
Read the docs and i think the two fundamentals one are :

the ZopeBook
http://www.zope.org/Documentation/Books/ZopeBook/

The ZopeDeveloperGuide
http://www.zope.org/Documentation/Books/ZDG

Though they are not perfectly up-to-date due to the fast evolution of 
the framework, they are really, extremely, useful to understand the 
underlying concepts and the general architecture of Zope and friends.
it's worth paying the time to read those books.

Having acquire strong basis, you'll be able to understand the API 
reference and then you'll be ready to dive into the more precise 
documentation : the source :)

Additional links
----------------
The Dieter's book
http://www.dieter.handshake.de/pyprojects/zope/#bct_sec_1

PloneBook (updated 02/06/04 at this moment)
http://dev.clearwind.ca/Files/Plone/Book/

Plone How-to's
http://plone.org/documentation/howto/

Use it
------
First of all, install Zope and try the examples and the tutorial.
That will give you a general overview of the system and you'll learn 
some terminology.
Generally the examples are in the 'import' directory of your Zope 
installation so you'll have to import them in your Zope root( see guess 
what ? the ZopeBook :).

CMF and Plone
-------------
At this stage you know how to manipulate product packages, install, find 
the version, etc.
So install the CMF the Content Management Framework on wich Plone is built.
read the docs at :
Install Plone (basic one)
Use it as an end-user and then read the docs and how-to's at
http://plone/org/Documentation

Last step : build you own basic product.

Getting help on this list
-------------------------
Try to use a descriptive subject
Describe your configuration (os, language and software versions, etc.)
Describe the symptoms
	What you want to achieve
	What happens really
	join code snippets if necessary.
If you get error messages
	join the traceback as text.


There are gurus on this list that can help you very quickly if they 
haven't to guess what your problem is really.

About docs
----------
Even if the products and docs are high-quality ones, don't forget that 
they are opensource and that their authors must find time to live, time 
to work and time to serve the opensource community. So the docs aren't 
delivered as quick as the product but they are better that ie, the ones 
delivered in my paid W&@dozze :(

Consider that as a low-level tribute to them.

Sorry for having been so long but now i'll be able to cut and paste some 
chunks for future messages :)
Hope my english it's clear enough and helpy.

André


John Poltorak wrote:

> I've been bracing myself for this to happen because of the large potential 
> for conflict among different versions of Python, Zope, CMF and Plone...