Comments on: PodNova – Another Free Desktop Podcast Client

By: Luciano ES

Luciano ES — Sun, 06 Apr 2008 13:48:58 +0000

The lack of documentation has to do with the application only. The problem with Python is that Python applications always have too many dependencies.
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And there is more: you had better install that one very specific version of the extension, or the application won’t work. I’ve even run into more than one Python application that refused to work without an extension and also refused to work after I installed *a newer* version than the one that was required! The application absolutely required a very specific version that was already old! Then what if another finicky Python application rejects that old version and requires the new one? I can’t have both applications work. Lame.
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I am biased. I am a Tcler. Tcl applications don’t usually require extensions because they are already there. It is incredibly easy to embed a Tcl extension into a Tcl application. And even if you don’t, any reasonably recent (last 4 years) version of the extension will work. Unfortunately, Tcl didn’t attain popularity. Developers preferred Python or Java, probably because it is so difficult to do anything with them that developers that work with these difficult languages automatically become more valuable and have their jobs more secure.
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Actually, Linux applications should be like GoogleEarth, Firefox or Windows applications: require no extensions. OK, offer the stripped down version for the Gentoo propeller heads that are going to whine and moan about the 0.004% lost CPU performance and 0.013% lost disk space. But make a headache-free version available too, for those who have better things to do than troubleshoot extensions of a language that nobody gives a rat’s ass about unless you’re a programmer (and that applies to any programming language).

By: Tom Purnell

Tom Purnell — Sun, 06 Apr 2008 11:44:33 +0000

I fail to see how the lack of documentation for one application is the fault of python. I downloaded PodNova and ran into the same issues, but surely trying to pin the blame on Python is like blaming a rice farmer for your inability to operate your microwave to cook your dinner.

By: Carlos

Carlos — Mon, 25 Feb 2008 08:06:00 +0000

Thanks vpspr!

Your solution worked perfectly.
“to launch: # python PodNova.pyc”

There is no installation required. Just unzip the tar, navigate to it via the terminal and type in the above command provided by vpspr. Make a launcher and you won’t have to do that every time you want it started.

By: Ronen Halevy

Ronen Halevy — Mon, 18 Feb 2008 02:29:31 +0000

Luc I guess you had a fun weekend

By: Luciano

Luciano — Sun, 17 Feb 2008 22:38:40 +0000

——————————————————–
$[801]~> python /home/luc/progs/PodNova-2.4-linux-py25/PodNova.pyc
Exception: No module named wx

In order to run PodNova Desktop Client, you need to have the wxPython library 2.6.3 or higher installed.
This library provides the GUI interface.
To download and install the wxPython library, please visit http://www.wxpython.org/download.php
Make sure you download and install the ‘unicode’ version of the library.
——————————————————–

Apparently, installing wxPython-2.6.3.2 didn’t help. Neither did installing wxPython-2.8.6.1. Very typical of Python.

By: vpspr

vpspr — Sun, 17 Feb 2008 20:35:17 +0000

to launch:
# python PodNova.pyc

By: Ronen Halevy

Ronen Halevy — Mon, 31 Dec 2007 18:26:15 +0000

Honestly Python is beyond my understanding. All I know is how to install it and maintain it on a server level but even that is minimal. I never had much interest in it but I know many users who swear by it. Let me see if I can get a friend to respond…

By: Barkhat

Barkhat — Sat, 29 Dec 2007 07:27:42 +0000

Can someone advise how to install this software? Like luc-mobile, I don’t have a clue. I’m a newbie and so any help is very much appreciated.

By: Ronen Halevy

Ronen Halevy — Thu, 27 Dec 2007 15:08:03 +0000

Yeah python has always been a pain in the… But I had a few people confirm that it works

By: luc-mobile

luc-mobile — Thu, 27 Dec 2007 00:06:35 +0000

Man, I was trying to avoid this topic and maybe look a little less bitchy and grumpy to your readers, but you mentioned my name and… oh dear. Here we go.
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I hate Python apps. They never really just rely on Python. They usually also require
py-this
py-that
py-thisonetoo
py-somethingelse
py-optional (note: will not work work without it)
py-dontforgetthis
py-andalsothat
py-ikidyounot
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OK, now I have downloaded this PodNova thing, which is not an installable package. It is a tarball instead. Then we wonder why Linux never becomes popular… :-\
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I still have no idea how many dependencies it will require to work. I’ll find out as soon as I try to run it on a command line. But heck if I know how to install this thing! Am I supposed to compile this thing? It doesn’t look like it. I open the tarball and there are 76 files in it. No sight of any “make” or “configure” files. I proceed to skim through the folder in search of a “readme” file… No, there isn’t any. Oh! Oh! Maybe an “install.txt” file! No, there isn’t any. A “docs” folder… No, there isn’t any either. Ha! Here is an “index.html” file! Hum. It won’t open. I inspect it with a text editor. It looks like a Web interface to PodNova (which apparently will run as a server when and IF I ever get this thing running). There is a “podnova-install.nsi” file. NSI must be for Windows. Inspect it with text editor. Yes, it is for Windows. There is a “PodNova.pyc” file. It is binary. I make it executable and run it. I get some short garbled output. Oh, “build_linux_pyc.pyc”. It’s binary. Let’s run it! Short garbled output again. I slap my forehead! Of course it doesn’t have any instructions! I am supposed to visit their Web site! Open source developers do that all the time: force us to go online to get the thing running, probably to read some manual in wiki format. Let’s go! I see “Help Center”. This is it! Hum… “Take the quicktour to learn more about blah blah blah…” Nothing about installation. Ah! Frequently Asked Questions! Hmm… Hmm… No mention of installation either… Hmm… Hmm…
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Pardon my manners, guys, but what the hell??? Seriously, is this really developed by humans? FOR humans? Geez. Maybe it really works on Linux, but beware: requires CrystalBall.tar.gz. Which I don’t have.
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Grumble.