[Python-Dev] Looking for master thesis ideas involving Python

Brett C. bac at OCF.Berkeley.EDU
Thu Oct 30 00:39:41 EST 2003


Neil Schemenauer wrote:

> On Wed, Oct 29, 2003 at 05:28:13PM -0800, Brett C. wrote:
> 
>>Neil Schemenauer wrote:
>>
>>> * Finish of the AST compiler.
>>
>>I actually wanted to originally do that, but there is no real research 
>>involved; its just coding at this point, right?
> 
> 
> Right.  It's a prerequite to doing real research.  See Jeremy's web
> log.  If you don't want to finish the AST compiler you could just
> use the Python implementation.  It would be slow but good enough for
> testing ideas.
> 

Yeah, I read that.  Too bad I can't finish the AST branch *and* do 
something with it.

> 
>>Huh, cool.  Just looked at Dylan quickly.
> 
> 
> The reference manual is a good reading:
> 
>   http://www.gwydiondylan.org/drm/drm_1.htm  
> 
> Some of the parts I like are the builtin classes (numbers and
> sealing especially) and the collection protocols.  The module and
> library system is also interesting (although overkill for many
> programs).
> 

So many languages to learn!  Happen to have a book recommendation?

> 
>>> * Look at making the GC mark-and-sweep.
>>
>>I don't know if it is worth it, although having so far two people 
>>suggest changing the GC to something else is interesting.
> 
> 
> Implementating yet a another M&S GC is not research, IMHO.  What
> _would_ be interesting is comparing the performance of reference
> counting and a mark and sweep collector.  CPU, cache and memory
> speeds have changed quite dramatically.  Also, comparing how easily
> the runtime can be integrated with the rest of the world (e.g. C
> libraries) would also be valuable.
> 

That is a possibility.  Depends if anyone else has done a comparison 
lately.  Seems like this may have been done to death, though.

> That said, I'm not sure it's worth it either.  I find the Chicken GC
> more interesting and would look into that further if I had the time.
> 

I just like the name.  =)  That and the title of that paper, "Cheney on 
the M.T.A" causes the humorist in me to want to look at this further, so 
I will definitely be reading that paper.

-Brett




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