[Zope3-Users] Re: ZCML, practicality, purity (was "Excellent perspective...")

[Julien Anguenot]

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Shane Hathaway wrote:
[...]
> However, I maintain that Python code
> could do the job better.  

Except it's not its job. Python is a language not a configuration tool.

>> Would it make sense to publish a recommended way to configure Z3 apps
>> completely via Python? Just for people who can't get past ZCML?
> 
> Well, I wouldn't say the people I know "can't get past" ZCML.  They're
> smart, and learning an XML schema is not a big effort.  However, for
> someone coming from Java frameworks, yet another XML format is a big
> mark against Zope, 

Well, the Eclipse core framework uses a plugin.xml which is very similar
to ZCML to glue its plugins.

> making RoR and other frameworks much more attractive.

The fact that RoR uses Ruby as a configuration language doesn't make it
more attractive for everybody, me included. More the opposite. The are
more attractive because of the buzz and their good community but that's
another topic.

>  It's also a mark against Python, since it seems to indicate that Python
> is too weak to implement a configuration mini-language.

I'm afraid, I'm sorry to disagree on this.

Does Java look weak for eclipse developers because it doesn't use java
properties for the configuration but XML files instead ? I don't think
so. Furthermore, Eclipse is implementing the OSGI specification
that is specifying only a manifest file for the plugins using java
properties but still they choose to do it with XML files -> because Java
is not a configuration tool neither !

I think Python guys, me included, are far too monomaniac regarding the
use of Python.

Though, I would agree with Philipp that we could make ZCML do less
regarding certain things.

I think ZCML is great and much easier, or should I say less difficult,
to teach to people, especially Java guys experienced with XML, who don't
know, or are not eager to learn, Python. (think integrators)

Cheers,

	J.

- --
Julien Anguenot | Nuxeo R&D (Paris, France)
CPS Platform : http://www.cps-project.org
Zope3 / ECM   : http://www.z3lab.org
mail: anguenot at nuxeo.com; tel: +33 (0) 6 72 57 57 66
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