[C++-SIG] RE: [META-SIG] Terminating comatose SIGs

[Phil Austin]

>>>>> "GF" == Geoffrey M Furnish <furnish@xdiv.lanl.gov> writes:


    GF> If however, the PSA is willing to host discussion about
    GF> binding Python to C++, then let's let this be the last time
    GF> this issue has to be redecided.

Here's two pieces of information that have a direct bearing on
the (future) impact of the Python/C++ Sig:

1) As of last night, an expression template array library 
   (http://monet.uwaterloo.ca/blitz) that
   pushes non-EDG-based C++ compilers beyond their limits works with
   a GNU compiler (http://www.cygnus.com/egcs).

2) Mumit Khan has succeeded in porting egcs-1.0 to windows95/NT using both
   the cygwin and mingwin dlls. (http://www.xraylith.wisc.edu/~khan).

This means:

a) that the number of people able to compile and experiment with a
   C++-extended python is about to increase by several orders of
   magnitude.

b) that the numerical performance increase made possible by expression
   templates should focus attention on standard-conformance, STL
   techniques, dead-code removal, incremental compilation, etc.  The
   better egcs gets in these areas, the more compelling the advantages
   of the LLNL-modified python becomes.

So the no-compromises approach of GF and PDB is about to pay off, and
it would be short-sighted to shut down the C++ sig 2 weeks after the
approval of the draft standard and the release of a near-standard
conforming free compiler.

Regards, Phil



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