[Python-Dev] Re: native code compiler? (or, OCaml vs. Python)

[Francois Pinard]

[Graham Guttocks]

> It would be nice to use Python for more serious projects, but it isn't
> fast enough currently.

It might well depend on projects.  We have fairly serious, production-level
projects, and Python is quite fast enough for them.  And very dependable
too, in our experience.  A real blessing.  Oh, we got a bit of profiling
and tuning to do here and there, once in a while.  Then, a few thoughtful
algorithmic changes give us great rewards.  Extensions are also possible.

Of course, speed increases in Python are welcome, but we should not let
ourselves go frantic about speed.  I guess that serious projects are often
more interested in good and dependable results, and ease in development
and maintenance, than in saving a few minutes or hours on a production run.

So, for one at least, I think I like the current orientation, priorities
and attitudes of Python developers about speed.  They undoubtedly care
about it, but intelligently, by protecting dependability and usability.

-- 
François Pinard   http://www.iro.umontreal.ca/~pinard