In my opinion, claims of learning curve time are somewhere between mildly and wildly exaggerated. In my opinion the actual learning curve will depend on a number of factors including but not limited to:
* Knowledge of Python * Familiarity with web application development * General software engineering knowledge * Understanding of RDBMS systems * Familiarity with Object-Relational Mapping (OR/M) systems * Understanding of Model-View-Controller (MVC) concepts * Desire to understand the underlying principles and specifics of the framework. * Willingness to learn new concepts Let me briefly clarify my points here. Python is generally considered to be easy to learn and work with but you will probably have the most success if you understand some of the higher-level features of the language and how best to leverage them. Any application framework (web, desktop, or otherwise) aims to abstract away the lower-level functionality and turn repetitive tasks into boilerplate code. Generally speaking, the more serious of an application you are attempting to create, the more important it is that you understand the underlying principles and what tradeoffs are incurred by use of the framework. Some people are perfectly happy to live "in ignorance" and just concentrate on relying on sample applications and tutorials to build off of. This is perfectly OK - you want to enjoy the process right? Chances are that the end result will suffer when evaluated from an architectural standpoint: security, stability, flexibility, and robustness. In many situations this can be acceptable. Also, a framework is not always the panacea that developers initially assume it will be. A developer picks up a framework and thinks "this will make development easier since a lot of functionality I need is already provided for me". However, depending on the complexity or requirements of your application you may find that some aspects get in the way of what you are trying to accomplish. Design decisions within the framework may hamstring certain functionality you are after. The framework may be geared toward many aspects of your development needs but may fall short in others. When met with these obstacles you need to decide on a strategy. Are you a framework purist - do you want everything to be coded consistently within the paradigm of the framework? Are you willing to hack the framework with your own customizations? Are you OK with developing certain portions of your application without using the facilities of the framework? Whatever you decide will take some committment in terms of research and work. As for your analogy about building a house, there is also an implied expertise and I think you are taking for granted all that goes into creating a well-built house. Just like a software application there are internal systems that need planning and coordination. To say that one could go out and build a house in two months is a big assumption. I'm not a contractor but I would be proud just get up 4 walls and a sink. My father worked at a lumber yard and hardware store for a period and at one point we decided to add on a bedroom. Even though my dad spoke with contractors all the time and already had the knowledge of what specific materials to use, it was still an all- summer project. Have you ever hung drywall on a ceiling? Ever laid tile or carpet? My dad is a pretty smart guy but we still ended up with things that were a half inch off here and there. You're talking about putting something together with multiple rooms, plumbing requirements, staircases, fireplaces, windows of all shapes and sizes, custom architectural features, considerations in building materials ranging from pipe thickness to wiring, meeting building codes, knowing when to bring in materials... Anyone who can accomplish this in a two month time span does so by relying on a tremendous amount of personal experience and having made and learned from many, many mistakes in the past. There is a reason that so many different types of contractors exist: plumbers, electricians, drywall specialists, roofers, floor specialists, etc. Each of those jobs requires a particular skill set and knowledge. The moral of the story is you get what you pay for. If you're looking to cut corners or go for the easy win then you're best off lowering your expectations a bit. Finally, when people say it takes X amount of time to get up to speed, that is completely relative. You need to decide for yourself what a unit of time represents. When people say a few days does that mean a few full days or a few days of dedicating an hour or two of leisure time after work? So for each "piece of the puzzle" that you need to overcome I would plan on spending a few solid days or few weeks of leisure time reading tutorials, surfing through the user documentation, and lurking on user mailing lists. That does not mean you can't be productive in the meantime, but I think you'll get the most enjoyment when you have a comprehensive understanding of both the technologies and concepts you are dealing with. -Brian On Jun 18, 11:11 pm, Kelvin Nicholson <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > Now, maybe a stupid question but for how long does it take to really > > understand Django/Python and start actually creating some code for the > > game? > > There are only parts of python you really need to learn to use Django, > and other parts can be learned later. I read the book Beginning Python > -- From Novice to Professional in about three days, then took about > three days to go through the Django tutorial and the Django book. After > that my first project was redoing my blog, which I felt totally > comfortable with. > > I haven't hit any limitations since then. > > My .02c, > > Kelvin --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Django users" group. To post to this group, send email to django-users@googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/django-users?hl=en -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
