Re: most popular Python projects

Kevin Altis wrote:

>>From: Mike C. Fletcher
>>
>>Kevin Altis wrote:
>>    
>>
...

>Well, "hot" is relative ;-) If we say > 10K/month then we'll definitely have
>very few projects that make the cut at this point in time.
>  
>
Sure, but that's what we want, isn't it?  The "killer apps", rather than 
just a laundry list of what's available?  Laundry lists are useful for 
showing breadth and keeping open to opportunity, but if you're looking 
for people willing to put their money into a package you're likely 
looking for things on which people make money or which appeal to a very 
broad audience.

>PyOpenGL is probably going to fall into the same category of interest level
>as dozens of other Python projects 
>
... no argument there, note that I used the word comatose to describe 
it, PyOpenGL is a sleepy backwater.  I was trying to suggest that a much 
higher bar needs to be set to find "hot" projects :) .

>Looking at how many
>people are on the mailing list is probably a good backup number to judge
>interest level. Are people drawn to Python because of PyOpenGL? 
>
Arguably, yes, people are drawn to Python by PyOpenGL, though most I 
know of are because of courses using PyOpenGL as a teaching tool (such 
as at the University of Waterloo).  PyOpenGL is also one of those "it's 
packaged on Debian and OS-X" situations, so downloads are not all from 
the web-site.  There are only ~120 people on the mailing list, but then 
PyOpenGL is old, mature (and getting dated) technology with a *very* 
slow development rate... there's very little that needs discussion.  
There's another 30 subscribers/term or so on the Waterloo course 
newsgroup who never even think of subscribing to the PyOpenGL list.  I 
probably hear from one user in a thousand about any aspect of the system.

However, the point here was: "we don't want to waste time on something 
like PyOpenGL", rather than: "let's use PyOpenGL".  Something like 
Neverwinter Nights is likely to be far more exciting and sexy for 
drawing in new programmers than low-level bindings like PyOpenGL which 
are basically valuable for learning how to program OpenGL or scripting 
together a utility for viewing some 3D data, but not that commonly used 
for "real" projects.

BioPython is likely sexy to a considerable group.  I think there was an 
"AstroPython" at one point, not sure how big it really became/has 
become. Projects which provide free toolkits for doing real work in an 
area of expertise are generally good marketing opportunities.  
Corporations whose researchers are using such projects might be willing 
to fund projects in their area (with appropriate licensing).

Whatever packages it is that the big banks/investment houses use are 
probably sexy to the banking community.  (We know they do something with 
Python (TD Bank Investments was advertising (a few months ago) for a 
Python programmer to come in and customise a Python-programmed app 
they'd bought)).

>>    * popy, pypgsql, psycopg
>>    
>>
>
>Not at the same level as the MySQL bindings, but perhaps gaining momentum?
>  
>
If you're going to market in the free-database market, you need both 
IMO, the three together represent "PostgreSQL bindings".  You could 
throw in Oracle bindings, mxODBC and a few others and have a decent 
place to market into: "database programmers".  Though from what I 
understand, compared to ADO and JDBC we're apparently not providing a 
great sales pitch (i.e. they tend to be significantly more advanced wrt 
introspection and generic APIs).  This would just get you more 
programmers anyway, not likely much investment/funding for projects.

Oh, other projects to consider:
    PyXML and/or 4suite

Okay, enough blathering from me.  Have fun,
Mike

_______________________________________
  Mike C. Fletcher
  Designer, VR Plumber, Coder
  http://members.rogers.com/mcfletch/