[pypy-dev] Removal of RCTypes, the extension compiler, support for PyObjects

[Martijn Faassen]

Hey,

Carl Friedrich Bolz wrote:
> Richard and I are about to finally remove support for the extension
> compiler, RCTypes and the ability to support CPython Objects in the
> translation.  We will do this work on the new-genc-tests-wrapper branch
> (which now has a slightly strange name).
> 
> If anybody has good arguments for keeping these things we would like to
> hear about it very soon. The RCTypes functionality is implemented by
> rffi these days. The extension compiler can be reimplemented with rffi
> if someone is interested in doing that. The current incarnation is not
> giving fast modules anyway (and is based on RCTypes and various strange
> hacks).

I'm not objecting. This was discussed in the past and it was deemed a 
good idea.

I'll just note what this might mean to you in terms of project 
perception and perception of commitment:

You're replacing one of the few areas of PyPy that at least *seemed* to 
be useful in the near term for production use (even though it evidently 
wasn't really) with "the extension compiler can be reimplemented with 
rffi if someone is interested in doing that".

I.e. you're removing your implicit commitment (in the form of code that 
more or less worked) and replacing it with an explicit lack of 
commitment or interest in making this work.

Meanwhile the project has not given many signals about its current level 
of commitment to produce a Python interpreter that people can use in 
production. Initially I got the impression that people wanted to 
synchronize at EuroPython after the closure of the EU project, but what 
was the conclusion? Perhaps this sprint is a good opportunity.

The perception could easily arise that there is no interest in giving an 
impression of commitment, and thus not to expect a production-quality 
Python interpreter in the foreseeable future. Is this perception 
correct? Are people even talking about giving a level of commitment, or 
is this whole discussion uninteresting to the project altogether? I'd 
like to know so I can adjust my own perception accordingly.

Regards,

Martijn