Python Vs Delphi.

[Internet]

Well i've always wanted to learn one of the two.... i've done some research and they both seem an equal challenge, both having ups and downs.

So i'm wondering a few things....

- which should i learn... learning a new language isn't just a pick and choose, it's a major thing to undertake and choose to spend time on.

- which is faster to write and which produces the most powerful applications?

- what compilers / IDE's / Text editors do you reccomend?

- any recommended tutorials to get me started?

Thanks a million.

[_kane81]

The two languages have different purposes.

Php is a scripting language for web based content. Delphi Pascal is more targeted towards desktop applications.

I would go with MS C# personally.

[Internet]

I know what php is :p

i wanna learn one of those two atm to prepare me for my college courses

so Delphi or Python

[_kane81]

Does your uni use object pascal? I dobut it....

Java is industry standard and is what I would be learning if I were you....

IDE for Java would be Eclipse

FYI: I'm a Delphi Win32 developer / Java developer.

[primexx]

find out what your uni teaches and learn that

[Mike Mayer]

Lots of debates about whether Java is a good idea to be teaching it for anything other than fundamentals considering the advantages of functional languages like Lisp.

They say its tough to look at a problem without a bias towards a functional solution or a procedural solution.

Java is taught at my university. Along with Python, C++, Lisp, and Scheme...

No Delphi though... not that i've heard of.

[Internet]

I don't want to learn java... it's slow while being run + the vm has limits

can anyone just answer my question =(

[rpgfan]

I doubt any form of Object Pascal, including Delphi, is taught, so I would recommend Python. Incidentally, Python is my favorite language. Great for number crunching when you need to play with large integers. Also, Google appears to be using Python for their support pages ('answer.py' is one such filename that I noticed the other day). ^_^

Another one you might consider is Ruby. Both of those seem to be emerging as major players. Ruby is difficult for me to use, however. All of the blocks and procs and such confuse me. I understood them after going through a couple of tutorials and doing some practice exercises...two months ago. :p I did with Python, and I retained a lot of it. In fact, I recently started getting back into it. It isn't difficult in the least! Then again, each person has her/his own preference, and each person retains different amounts of different concepts in different ways. I'm biased toward Python because it is easier for me, but Ruby has a lot of power. For those reasons, I can't recommend one more than another, but I can recommend that you consider looking at each, if you wanted to see something other than Python.

[+virtorio MVC]

If you're interested in building native (win32) desktop applications then Delphi is great. You can download Turbo Delphi for free at http://www.turboexplorer.com/ (be sure to download it for Win32, not the .NET version).

I learnt to use it using the built in help documentation many years ago (Delphi 2, it's up to version 11 (2007) now). I can't suggest any books or anything but there is loads of information and tutorials on the Internet about every single aspect of it.

As for Python, I don't know much about it. Isn't it more of a scripting language, more at home on the Web, or being embedded in an application (like a Delphi application) to allow it scripting capabilities? I'd say it compares more to something like PHP, while Delphi compares more to C++/C#.

edit: just did some looking around and I Python is more multi-purpose than I thought, but doesn't compare with the RAD (rapid application development) aspects of Delphi.

Edited April 1, 2008 by virtorio

[_kane81]

  Internet said:

I don't want to learn java... it's slow while being run + the vm has limits

can anyone just answer my question =(

Fine go Delphi 2008 (fastest to write and most powerful when compared to php)

you can do Delphi Win32 or Delphi .net using Delphi 2008.

you can buy the IDE from CodeGear.com or you could use Turboexplorer which is free, but lacks the features that Delphi has.

if you google delphi tutorials, you will find a heap of them. Delphi was very popular 4 years ago and there are still lots of sites around.

if you want my opinion, I think Delphi is dying (hope it isnt... but just get that feeling) :(

MS is just too hard to standup to and is squezzing codegear out so all you will have left is VisualStudio.

If you want to get a head start, as someone said, see what your uni teaches. :)

[rpgfan]

I think I've gone blind because I don't see PHP mentioned in the thread title or the original post... Python or Delphi... :wacko:

[Dessimat0r]

Personally, I would go with Delphi if you were making GUI applications -- it has a brilliant Win32 form designer. Delphi has two versions, both in the same IDE -- there is a .net version and native version. If I was working with it, I would always go with the native version for pure speed. However, the .net version might be more flexible. Python is good for scripting basic applications, but not so good for graphical user interfaces.

[_kane81]

  rpgfan said:

I think I've gone blind because I don't see PHP mentioned in the thread title or the original post... Python or Delphi... :wacko:

oopps im blind .....doh

[kilon]

Sorry to resurrect a almost dead topic , as my first post. But because I have been working with Delphi for many years and I am working now with python I thought I could help the original poster and any future poster with similar question. Ok let us start

1) DELPHI is an amazing Enviroment. Yeap that is so great about delphi that is an environment, that is both an excellent IDE and a very good, easy and powerful language. There is no IDE out there like DELPHI. That is a fact. DELPHI AND DELPHI .NET WIN.

2) DELPHI is much faster than Python , cause it is made on assembly. Python is made on C++ and uses a VM and it is interpeted which slows it down quite a bit. That slow down shows ONLY when you do some CPU intense work , like 3d graphics, audio processing etc. For the rest python will be fast enough for you. DELPHI AND DELPHI .NET WIN.

3) DELPHI .NET is vere powerful because it uses the .NET libraries that are common for all .NET programming languages like C# , VB.NET etc. But Python is the most powerful because it can use directly with no extra coding JAVA libraries (jython) .NET libraries (ironpython) and C++ and C libraries with some extra coding (there are however tools like SWIG that can do this automatically. PYTHON WINS.

4) Python is alot more compact , but very close to DELPHI , both language are very easy to use. However python requires less code to be written even when taking into account the amazing DELPHI IDE. PYTHON WINS.

6) DELPHI .NET is much more difficult to use than DELPHI or python cause is tied to .NET framework. While the python libraries follow the a pythonic approach , which requires them to be easy to use, powerful and compact . PYTHON WINS.

7) PYTHON is a constantly evolving language , alot more than Delphi and DELPHI .NET. That is one of appeal of open source. PYTHON WINS.

8) PYTHON is the most cross platform. DELPHI had Kylix for Linux which is abandoned while the MONO does not support DELPHI .NET. That means there is currently no way to run DELPHI on LINUX or MACOS. On the other hand Python not only runs but also is highly popular in MACOS and LINUX. PYTHON WINS.

In the end Python won me over, because of being cross platform and better language that required less coding. Delphi has an excellent IDE but IDE can get you so far.

Regarding IDE , well you wont find an equally good IDE in Python especially for designing GUI. But there loads of IDES and loads of GUI platforms while Delphi has only two VLC and .NET FORMS both are not cross platform. While python has loads and almost all cross platform.

The biggest deal is CROSS PLATFORM , if you only care for WINDOWS then both are equally good.

Do not worry about speed of execution with python there many ways to improve this and in practice is rarely a problem. Worth mentioning that Python integrates flawlessly with C++ and C , and even .NET (ironpython) and JAVA (jython). So that means that Python can done anything those languages can do and even use their libraries with little to no effort. Another huge advantage.

Edited April 22, 2009 by kilon

[Ricardo Gil]

It's nice to see I'm not the only Delphi developer around here (Y). In house development for my company is still (for the most part) done in Delphi 6. It's either that or .Net.

I don't know if Delphi has a future compared to Python, it's not a "cool" language nowadays, but I certainly don't regret working with it for the past 5 years.

[Eric Veteran]

  Internet said:

I don't want to learn java... it's slow while being run + the vm has limits

can anyone just answer my question =(

Not the way you want it. If you're looking for a job, you'll want to learn more than one language, and definitely one that there's a demand for. Python is usually used for scripting, I haven't seen a lot of chatter about Delphi (Pascal) for a long time. I've never used Pascal except in high school classes. Java and C# are being used in a lot of enterprise work, so they're a good bet. :)

EDIT: Whoops, we made a zombie. OP has been inactive for quite a while... :o

[kilon]

  Ricardo Gil said:

It's nice to see I'm not the only Delphi developer around here (Y). In house development for my company is still (for the most part) done in Delphi 6. It's either that or .Net.

I don't know if Delphi has a future compared to Python, it's not a "cool" language nowadays, but I certainly don't regret working with it for the past 5 years.

Nope you are definitely not. I was surprised that Python is so scarcely mentioned here, I was in UBUNTU forums and there it was all python ,python , python lol.

By the way I have to clarify that the DELPHI dying will highly depend. It is true that the VLC library is no longer developed at the same rate as it was in the past.

However DELPHI .NET is far from dead, afterall it is all .NET inside and that means that will be around for a very long time as .NET has become extremely popular in WINDOWS.

But EVEN the old DELPHI is not dead in the absolute sense, for example take a look at lazarus, it gives DELPHI a breath of fresh air. I have not mentioned it before since is not TECHNICALLY DELHI as it uses FreePascal but is as close to being a clone as it will ever be.

http://www.lazarus.freepascal.org/

Oh by the way the initial poster wondered where he should start for learning. Well in case o python the central python website has all the help one may need.

Which is pretty much anything, documentation , tutorials, third party libraries , mailing lists , wiki etc. etc.

Ah and another surprise it is possible to integrate Python in DELPHI and LAZARUS. SO many choices so little time ;)

http://membres.lycos.fr/marat/delphi/python.htm

http://mmm-experts.com/Products.aspx?ProductId=3

[kilon]

  GreyWolfSC said:

Not the way you want it. If you're looking for a job, you'll want to learn more than one language, and definitely one that there's a demand for. Python is usually used for scripting, I haven't seen a lot of chatter about Delphi (Pascal) for a long time. I've never used Pascal except in high school classes. Java and C# are being used in a lot of enterprise work, so they're a good bet. :)

EDIT: Whoops, we made a zombie. OP has been inactive for quite a while... :o

You can find about language popularity here ( if this matter to you)

http://www.tiobe.com/index.php/content/pap...tpci/index.html