[Zope3-dev] Re: Make sure your zserver.zcml is up to date.

[R. David Murray]

Chris Withers <chrisw@nipltd.com> wrote:
>>>>> Am I correct in assuming that, in order to use Zope 3, I now need to 
>>>>> know the following languages?
>>>>>
>>>>> -python
>>>>> -ZCML
>>>>> -ZPT
>>>>> -ZConfig
>>>>> -DTML

Am I correct that in order to build a dynamic web site using Apache, I
need to know all of the following languages?

-perl
-
-
-Apache configuration language
-php

The two gaps are the two key technology innovations introduced
by Zope:  Page Templates (which I believe you consider a Good Thing,
Chris), and the Component Architecture, for which ZCML is the glue.
You can't *do* the kinds of things you can do with ZCML in an
Apache/php setup.  Or for that matter in a Java setup.

Plus, to add stuff to the Apache server at a low level, you have to
use C.  You don't have to do that for Zope3, you can use python.
(You only need C if you need *optimization*).

If you don't want to gain the advantage of these innovations, you
can decide not to learn ZPT or ZCML and just create web sites using
DTML (or ZPT) and the TTW facilities and occasional forays in to
python scripts.  You'll still be able to do more than you could
with Apache+PHP <grin>.

I think arguing against Zconfig is moot, since any web server you
use is going to have its own configuration language.  At least
you'll only have to learn zconfig once and then get to use it in
multiple contexts!.   And from what I hear it is similar enough to
the Apache configuration language in structure that it should be
pretty trivial for most people to learn.

So I think your complaint really boils down to not liking ZCML <grin>.

--RDM

PS: I don't really *like* zcml, either, but I don't have a better
alternative to offer and I really like what I can *do* with zcml.