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However, the evaluation one provides a decent IDE< but there are better ones, where it really shines is the PyQt module, python tailored Qt Designer and PyQt Doc.

I would be very interested in a comparison between a) Black Adder and b) Eric 3 or perhaps even c) KDevelop!

While on the subject of Python IDEs... It's a shame that the Python mode(s) for Eclipse suck so much. The only reason I personally would use a IDE is for advanced functions like refactoring tools and versioning control integration, both of which Eclipse sets a new standard for. Syntax highlighting and code-rollup does not an IDE make anymore for me. Not to knock Black Adder, it's features like the GUI creator firmly places it in the IDE category in my book.

does "Spacer" in the left panel of this picture
http://img.osnews.com/img/6183/ba2s.jpg

is something like "SpringLayout" in Java?

.. I like the idea of SpringLayout,
but it's quite hard to use.

if the Spacer is something equivalent,
I really like to see any Java IDE/RAD to have
a visualization of SpringLayout like what BlackAdder
does with its Spacer.

I use eric3 in a large part because it supports refactoring (not perfect, but pretty good).

And I am not familiar with java's springLayout, but a spacer is simply a pseudowidget, that occupies a cell in a grid, or a position in a row, and pushes the others aside.

So, if you want two buttons on the left side and one on the right, you do:

button --------spacer--------button button

And when you resize the dialog, the spacer pushes the buttons to the edges.

I use them all the time in Designer, because it makes widget positioning relative to the window very simple.

the webpage says it can be used for ruby too, but i see no screenshots of it's ruby integration. FreeRIDE just isn't up to par honestly, and FOX i sn't exactly the nicest toolkit either. does anyone know of a good quality ruby IDE offhand?

and for those who don't know what ruby is, think python with useful features (true boolean, no dependency on tabs/spaces, fully object oriented, built in switch statement)

they said they were waiting for ruby/qt support to mature.
Now you can do ruby/qt development with KDevelop+QTEditor, the bindings are in kde's cvs

The main reason, and by that I mean the really really true reason, that I didn't include a Ruby screenshot, and didn't discuss Ruby at all, is that I don't know a thing about it. I don't use it, I don't know it, and therefore, the thought of talking about it never occured to me.

I hope this answer is satisfactory.

GUI tollkits for Python
o http://www.wxpython.org
o http://fxpy.sourceforge.net

IDE using wxPython:
o http://boa-constructor.sourceforge.net

I you want to learn (or play with) Python, without having it installed on your win platform:
o http://www.chez.com/spinecho/pypsi/pagpypsi.htm

thank you.
so they are quite different, since SpringLayout can also automatically change your widget size.

http://java.sun.com/docs/books/tutorial/uiswing/layout/spring.html

yeah, i agree that this kind of things makes your program looks nicer

Well, the spacer doesn't change your widget's size, but the containing box layout may :-)

The Spacer has a stretching factor, and so do the widgets, as well as a policy of size being "preferred" "expanding" and others.

Usually, you just drop the things around and they should work ok, but fine layout tuning does take some work.

It doesn't look like it is being actively developed.

It is a RAD-like for Wxwidgets and it generates code on the fly for C++, Python, Perl and Lua.

After purchasing and using BlackAdder for two weeks I installed eric3 to compare. I never used BlackAdder again. There are some that say the PyQtDoc application that comes with BA is helpful but I found it to be out of date with the new PyQt and Qt versions. The best reason for purchasing a BlackAdder license is the included distribution rights to the QT library being much cheaper than the same license purchased directly from Trolltech.

The eric3 website (http://www.die-offenbachs.de/detlev/eric3.html) looks like a great python IDE. Sadly, it can not be run on windows. While python is a truly cross platform solution, eric3 relies on PyQt (http://www.riverbankcomputing.co.uk/pyqt/index.php) which sounds just great, but the Qt library cannot be had for windows.

I went to trolltech's website, and I see I can purchase a Development license of Qt for windows for a single license of $1550. They do offer a 30 day eval.

Sigh, so, I take this Eric3 is a Linux-only solution?

I looked at Eric and I don't like what I see--are there any Python IDEs out there that aren't a carbon-copy of MSDEV? I hate Microsoft's class browser and I'm quite disappointed that they've just copied it right down to the icons.

Are there any Smalltalk/Obj-C style dev environments for Python?

I've been looking for a really good Python IDE for a while now. I thought theKompany had forgotten about this project. It seemed very promising, but forgotten. It looks like they really have been working on it!

Does it have any depoloyment tools? Deployment Wizards? How about code-completion/code-assist?

I think Python could replace any need for Visual Basic in a business. It is much simpler and much more powerful. Python is at the right maturity level (as opposed to Ruby). It just needs a kick-butt IDE and some comercial backing. The language is Open Source, and it runs on all the major OS's. No comparison!

Have they hit 1.0 yet? The product was in beta over a year ago, and not much appears to have changed.

Warren

Boa *is* being actively developed, but since it's been at a version 0.xx.yy for so long, people assume that the 0 means it's not useable. It's not as evolved as say, Delphi 7, or JBuilder X, it's got a lot of rough edges [visually/look/feel wise, not functionality wise] on my Debian/Linux box, but on Windows it's perfectly useable.

Warrem