Re: Where to begin

On 07/01/2013 02:40 AM, Ron Allen Smith wrote:
> Hi,
>
> I'm a newbie to Python, but not programming.  However, my problem is
> replacing an antiquated web-based classroom-attendance oriented
> software app.
>
> I need to serve out an environment where teachers can sign in and
> take attendance for students in their classrooms.  That's the general
> idea.  Python was recommended, but I've not used it before.  So, I'm
> looking for directions on what the best overall components would be.
> I just so happened to have started with the web server first--Twisted
> Web was at the top of the list on the
> http://wiki.python.org/moin/WebServers page and seemed intriguing.
>

I love Twisted, but... consider carefully if an asynchronous webserver 
is what you need. A more traditional framework, like Django running 
under Apache/mod_wsgi, may suit your needs. Then again, it may not...

> That's the background on my search/inquiry.
>
> I think I'll need components to help with authenticating people, a
> database to capture attendance data, components to help with
> presenting data back to the user's browser, etc.

In which case for Twisted you'll need to research:

  * core twisted concepts like async/nonblocking patters, the "deferred" 
pattern and use of the reactor
  * web, of course
  * cred, for authenticating users
  * adbapi, for talking to SQL
  * template, for generating HTML

See here:

http://twistedmatrix.com/documents/current/web/howto/web-in-60/index.html

...for a really good start.