We're working on integrating our own memory manager into our project and the current challenge is figuring out how to make it play nice with Python (and SWIG). The approach we're currently taking is to patch 1.5.2 and augment the PyMem* macros to call external memory allocation functions that we provide. The idea is to easily allow the addition of third party memory management facilities to Python. Assuming 1) we get it working :-), and 2) we sync to the latest Python CVS and patch that, would this be a useful patch to give back to the community? Has anyone run up against this before?

Check out the archives for patches@python.org looking for posts by Vladimir Marangozov. Vladimir has produced several rounds of patches with a very similar goal in mind. We're still working out some details -- but it shouldn't be too long, and I hope that his patches are also suitable for you. If not, discussion is required! --Guido van Rossum (home page: http://www.python.org/~guido/)