As a PHP developer I've been waiting for the web-dev group to jump on board with Python 3 before I make the switch. I'm hoping it will be sooner rather than later.
I'm setting aside the question of whether or why to switch. I'm also setting aside the possibility of starting to learn now on Python 2.7, which is what I think you should really do assuming you don't intend to procrastinate it ;)
Assuming you do want to wait on Python 3 adoption, your timing should depend on the framework you want to use, because effectively each one has its own community and ecosystem, and their adoption is at completely different rates.
If Pyramid looks good to you, for example, it already is on board with Python 3. Bottle is on board with Python 3. If you want to use Django, which is what most people will want to do, you should just wait on Django to release a Python 3 version, and Django should be usable on Python 3 within the year. If you want to use Flask (considered the closest analogue of Ruby's Sinatra) then it could take a while.
I see a couple mentions in this thread of Flask taking a while to adopt Python 3. I am relatively new to Flask, could you explain why they are seemingly behind things in regards to Python 3?
Regardless of how you feel about PHP, I've spent enough time with it that I can make it work and write good code, quickly.
I do want to switch to another language at some point (I'll leave the reasoning for that out of this discussion).
Why switch to Python 2.7 if it's going to be old in a year or two? Even if there isn't a huge difference between 2.7 and 3.x it sounds like it would be a nightmare trying to upgrade any of the old work that I would have done in 2.7. So either I've got some projects that will be on 2.7 forever, or I go through the hassle of trying to upgrade. I'd rather just wait and avoid the whole debacle.
It's definitely possible (and not really hard), but I understand the mindset: if you're coming from an other platform, why bother with switching when you can wait a bit and just start with Python 3?
slurgfest|13 years ago
Assuming you do want to wait on Python 3 adoption, your timing should depend on the framework you want to use, because effectively each one has its own community and ecosystem, and their adoption is at completely different rates.
If Pyramid looks good to you, for example, it already is on board with Python 3. Bottle is on board with Python 3. If you want to use Django, which is what most people will want to do, you should just wait on Django to release a Python 3 version, and Django should be usable on Python 3 within the year. If you want to use Flask (considered the closest analogue of Ruby's Sinatra) then it could take a while.
pendext|13 years ago
geekam|13 years ago
symbiotic|13 years ago
Regardless of how you feel about PHP, I've spent enough time with it that I can make it work and write good code, quickly.
I do want to switch to another language at some point (I'll leave the reasoning for that out of this discussion).
Why switch to Python 2.7 if it's going to be old in a year or two? Even if there isn't a huge difference between 2.7 and 3.x it sounds like it would be a nightmare trying to upgrade any of the old work that I would have done in 2.7. So either I've got some projects that will be on 2.7 forever, or I go through the hassle of trying to upgrade. I'd rather just wait and avoid the whole debacle.
masklinn|13 years ago