proposal for full application scripting language in KDE 4

[Scott Wheeler]

I just wanted to turn this into something concrete and split it off of the 
other thread since what sorts of scripting is being debated there.

I mentioned a poll on this list the other day that I kicked off on 
kdedevelopers.org.  The results are:

Python:      46% (302 votes)
Ruby:        38% (252 votes)
JavaScript:   6% (40 votes)
Perl          5% (30 votes)
Z80 Assembly: 5% (35 votes)

Total Votes: 659

(Pasted here so that there's an accurate snapshot of the current state rather 
than people trying to win things for their favorite language after the fact.  
Voting has been extremely slow the last couple of days (around 10 votes a 
day))

It's not scientific, but I feel like the sample set of 659 votes from the KDE 
community is probably a better indicator than we'll get on this list and a 
margin that's large enough (8%) to show a reasonably clear "winner".

So:

I propose that we allow applications written in PyKDE in the main modules of 
KDE in KDE 4.  Applications in scripting languages other than Python should 
be allowed (and encouraged) in Extragear.

There is the question of applications using those bindings.  We have Guidance 
already in extra gear and I assume it will be ported to KDE 4.  At around 24k 
lines (text, not code) that would seem to qualify as "real" even if it is 
somewhat distro specific.

Just to clear the air a bit, I have no preference for Python vs. Ruby, so this 
isn't a personal crusade.  I do however think that having a single scripting 
language with first-class status in the project is a step forward.

Usage in core components I think will have to be performance based.  I 
wouldn't be surprised if the Python community would be willing to help get 
things to the point that they might be acceptable, but only time will tell 
there.

-Scott

-- 
We should forget about small efficiencies, say about 97% of the time: 
premature optimization is the root of all evil.
-Donald Knuth