== Why Web2Py? ==
Web2Py is a modern environment which has been built to learn from the good & bad of other frameworks (such as Django & Ruby on Rails):[[BR]]
http://web2py.com/examples/static/web2py_vs_others.pdf

 * Easy to Install
  * no dependencies
  * can run off USB
  * can easily backup/move between hosts

 * Rapid Application Development environment
  * especially relevant to Sahana where on-the-fly emergency customisations are the norm during deployments
  * simple for unskilled programmers to add new modules (although full power still available to those with skills to hand-build HTML pages &/or python modules)
  * integrated web-based IDE can be used for all functionality (although can also use other IDEs)

 * Commitment to backward compatibility
  * http://groups.google.com/group/web2py/browse_thread/thread/21dcd8faff44e9bf#

 * Secure by default:
 http://web2py.com/examples/default/features

 * Database abstraction
  * including scalability from SQLite through to Google App Engine (GAE)
  * we-based database administration tool which works across all back-ends

 * [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Model%E2%80%93view%E2%80%93controller MVC] design approach to separate Presentation from Code

 * In-Built Translation interface

 * Support for key interoperability standards
  * AJAX: http://web2py.com/AlterEgo/default/show/10
  * JSON: http://web2py.com/examples/default/examples#example_json
  * XML-RPC: http://web2py.com/examples/default/examples#xmlrpc_examples
  * SOAP: http://web2py.com/AlterEgo/default/show/165

 * Helpful community:
  * http://groups.google.com/group/web2py
  * # web2py on Freenode

 * Speed:
  * http://groups.google.com/group/web2py/browse_thread/thread/cf5c5bd53bc42d49

 * http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Web2py

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FrequentlyAskedQuestions