[Python-3000] Futures in Python 3000

[Fredrik Lundh]

Andy Sy wrote:

> > It is a FUNDAMENTAL PRECONDITION of Py3K that it will BE the existing
> > CPython codebase, with a few changes and some cruft removed. We are
> > NOT going to re-write from the ground up. If you don't know why, go
> > read "http://www.joelonsoftware.com/articles/fog0000000069.html".
>
> I found myself agreeing with that essay when I first read it, but
> hindsight shows us that it was only half-right.  It is very unlikely
> that Firefox could have become the platform it is today had they not
> completely re-engineered the architecture.
>
> Joel's points stand in that from-scratch rewrites are generally disastrous
> for *companies* which underestimate the length of time involved (almost a
> given), but because open-source projects do not need to be financially
> viable in the short run, they can afford much longer gestation periods
> (and often with superior results).

given the amount of money that flows into the Mozilla Foundation
from various sources (mostly Google), I don't think you can draw
any conclusions from the Firefox project wrt. software engineering.

(other than "given a large number of volunteers, and large amounts
of money from corporate sponsors, and being politically correct in
geek and web design circles, you can grab a small chunk of a huge
market" ;-)

</F>