[pypy-svn] r38900 - pypy/dist/pypy/doc

[pedronis at codespeak.net]

Author: pedronis
Date: Thu Feb 15 15:46:34 2007
New Revision: 38900

Modified:
   pypy/dist/pypy/doc/coding-guide.txt
   pypy/dist/pypy/doc/faq.txt
Log:
review and finish faq about the Developmet... kill some hard, no good answers, not really faq questions.



Modified: pypy/dist/pypy/doc/coding-guide.txt
==============================================================================
--- pypy/dist/pypy/doc/coding-guide.txt	(original)
+++ pypy/dist/pypy/doc/coding-guide.txt	Thu Feb 15 15:46:34 2007
@@ -686,9 +686,12 @@
 Only specified names will be exported to a Mixed Module's applevel
 namespace.
 
-Sometimes it is neccessary to really write some functions in C (or whatever
-target language). See the `external functions documentation`_ for details.
+Sometimes it is necessary to really write some functions in C (or
+whatever target language). See `rctypes`_ and `external functions
+documentation`_ for details. The latter approach is cumbersome and
+being phased out and former has currently quite a few rough edges.
 
+.. _`rctypes`: rctypes.html
 .. _`external functions documentation`: translation.html#extfunccalls
 
 application level definitions

Modified: pypy/dist/pypy/doc/faq.txt
==============================================================================
--- pypy/dist/pypy/doc/faq.txt	(original)
+++ pypy/dist/pypy/doc/faq.txt	Thu Feb 15 15:46:34 2007
@@ -12,31 +12,14 @@
 What is PyPy?
 -------------
 
-XXX
+PyPy is both a Python reimplemenation and a framework to implement
+interpreters and virtual machines for programming languages,
+especially dynamic ones. PyPy tries to find new answers about ease of
+creation, flexibility, maintainability and speed trade-offs for
+language implementations.  For further details see our `goal and
+architecture document`_ .
 
-------------------------------------------------------
-Why a new implementation of Python?  What does it add?
-------------------------------------------------------
-
-XXX
-
------------------------------------
-What is the status of the project? 
------------------------------------
-
-XXX status
-
-
---------------------------------
- Can it be used in practice yet?
---------------------------------
-
-PyPy is a very broad project and its various parts have different levels of
-maturity and of general applicability. For example our compiler toolchain is a
-relatively mature part and can be used in practice already (see the faq about
-`prolog and javascript`_). The Python interpreter that we have written is still
-slightly `slower than CPython`_ and not yet a `drop in replacement`_.
-In any case, our pygame graph viewer is *extremely* useful already!
+.. _`goal and architecture document`: architecture.html
 
 
 .. _`drop in replacement`:
@@ -55,12 +38,12 @@
 On what platforms does it run?
 ------------------------------
 
-PyPy is regularly and extensively tested on Linux machines and on Mac OS X and
-mostly works under Windows too (but is tested there less extensively). PyPy
-needs a CPython running on the target platform to bootstrap, cross compilation
-is not really meant to work, currently. Apart from that restriction, translating
-PyPy is supposed to produce nice platform-independent code, so the chances are
-not too bad that it works.
+PyPy is regularly and extensively tested on Linux machines and on Mac
+OS X and mostly works under Windows too (but is tested there less
+extensively). PyPy needs a CPython running on the target platform to
+bootstrap, cross compilation is not really meant to work,
+currently. At the moment you need CPython 2.4 for the translation
+process, 2.5 is not fully supported.
 
 Currently (due to time restrictions) we are not trying hard to make PyPy support
 64 bit platforms. While this seems to still mostly work out, a few modules won't
@@ -125,8 +108,19 @@
 How do I write extension modules for PyPy?
 ------------------------------------------
 
-XXX
+PyPy extension modules are in the form of so called `mixed modules`_,
+at the moment they all need to be translated together with the rest of PyPy.
 
+We have a proof concept in what we call the `extension compiler`_ and
+our support for a static variant of ctypes interface (`rctypes`_) to
+help with their development. At the moment both have quite some rough
+edges, also cross compilation to CPython extensions which is possible
+doesn't deliver completely satisfying results.  This area is going to
+improve over time.
+
+.. _`mixed modules`: coding-guide.html#mixed-module-mechanism
+.. _`extension compiler`: extcompiler.html
+.. _`rctypes`: rctypes.html
 
 .. _`slower than CPython`:
 
@@ -188,12 +182,6 @@
 .. _`project suggestions`: project-ideas.html
 .. _`contact us`: contact.html
 
-----------------------------------
-Why so many levels of abstraction?
-----------------------------------
-
-XXX see pypy-vm-construction
-
 ----------------------------------------------------------------------
 I am getting strange errors while playing with PyPy, what should I do?
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