Python for large projects

[Jay O'Connor]

Paul Rubin wrote:

> Jay O'Connor <jayoconnor at earthlink.net> writes:
> 
>>>1) Optimizing C/C++ compiler, like GCC
>>>2) Full featured web browser, like MSIE or Mozilla
>>>3) Full featured office suite, like MS Office or Open Office or KDE
>>>4) Avionics for the space shuttle
>>>5) Internals of a large telephone/data switch
>>>6) Tax processing software for the IRS
>>>7) Operating system kernel (Linux: the next generation)
>>>8) Accounting software for a big bank
>>>9) Full featured database like Oracle or Postgres
>>>10) ... well you get the idea.
>>>Which, if any, would you write in Python?
>>
>>6 and 8, maybe 3...and 10 of course
> 
> 
> I think 6 and 8 would depend on decimal arithmetic; some modules for
> that have been proposed but nothing is released yet, afaik.

Depends on what you mean.  If you're talking desktop line-of-business software 
for the IRS, a bank, or any business then there's probably not going to be a lot 
of heavy math.  If you're talking some sort of automatic transaction processing 
then maybe different, but I can't see the math really being that hoary.  I've 
seen financial transaction software written in TCL which was running a *lot* 
slower than Python.  Even in that case, I/O for getting yuor transactions and 
storing your results are going to be over head so I would really discount Python 
  unless the example could be defined better.  I'd seriously consider Python to 
start with (but I'd consider Smalltalk first so..)

> I can't see answering 3 without also answering 2.

A browser is a fairly straightforward piece of work that I think any slowness in 
a particular language is going to be noticed when you repeat a fundamental 
operation (render an element) many, many times.  I think there's going to be a 
lot more 'stuff' going on in office suite.  That's just speculation, the real 
reason I didn't consider #2 was that I overlooked it

Take care,
Jay