PHP/Python (was: RE: Vexim Digest, Vol 68, Issue 4)

Terry Danter wrote:
> All I can say is it is great news and if it no longer needs php for the front end then that is one less hassle set up wise to worry about Terry

Um. Ok, but by far the largest installed base as far as webserver run-time interpreted code is concerned is PHP. For probably 85% of us, we're going to be having to add Python to our webservers instead just to support vexim. 

The apparent version portability issues that Avleen has hinted at frankly makes me question if Python is suited to long-lived web applications. The need for an entire framework (Django?) to support a small webapp also makes me squeamish. The whole plan seems to be adding layers of complexity to the supporting software - and each of these layers seems to have known portability issues if Avleen is already having to consider what version of Python he's going to be targeting. Suddenly we have to keep track of Python, Django and Vexim vulnerabilities instead of just Vexim (we already have to track PHP as our customers use it).

I realise that Avleen has to go with what he knows. He (and other contributors) provided us with a great toolset which we've had a lot of use out of over the years for which I am very thankful, but despite its' proponents most fervent wishes, Python has a long way to go before I would consider it normal to encounter in a webserver configuration. On that front, we won't be switching to a Python version; we'll rewrite the PHP version in house if we have to. I don't have time to learn securing a new interpreter in a web environment. The web interface is not so advanced in its functionality that it would take a significant amount of time to rewrite if it did eventually become necessary.

I'm not even trying to change Avleen's mind. What we have in the current version of VExim is more than enough - but I don't want anyone to labour under the illusion that just because they run and think in Python that the majority of us do.

$0.02

Phil