[prog] Cross platform Python GUIs

[Michael Bentley]

> What are the PyGTK problems on the Mac? I'm pretty sure I tested
> some simple pygtk apps on OS X in the past, but not recently, and not
> with any complex apps.

I make my living with a PyGTK application called Wing IDE -- which  
proves that pygtk is in fact, a viable option.  It does require X  
Windows (there's no native look-n-feel version of GTK+ for the Mac  
just yet) which is a minor problem -- Mac users don't usually react  
well to X on OS X.  Some controls don't behave well -- for instance,  
splitter controls tend to stick after a move and follow your mouse --  
so it behaves as if you still had the mouse button pressed. The trick  
btw, is waiting about 3-4 seconds after releasing the mouse button  
before moving it...

I think you have to build GTK from sources on the Mac though, so  
distribution may be a little trickier than on Linux where it often  
comes pre-installed.

> Qt (with or without Python) used to be problematic on the Mac
> because of cost: it was free on Linux but quite expensive for Mac
> users. But I think their licenses have improved since then.
> Is it free everywhere now? Are there other problems?

Qt, which does have a native look and feel is free to distribute as  
long as you're releasing under a GPL license (I think).  The  
commercial license for all platforms is quite expensive.  But it  
really is a nice toolkit.  Really nice.  The problems I've run into  
with PyQt on the Mac have to do with getting a working application  
bundle built -- otherwise the end user would have to build Qt + sip +  
PyQt from sources.