[Python-Dev] Optimization targets - refcount

[Aahz]

On Thu, Apr 15, 2004, Jewett, Jim J wrote:
>
> What if a few common (constant, singleton) objects (such as None, -1,
> 0, 1) were declared immortal at compile-time?  They would be created
> at initial load in a special untracked pool, and their tp_dealloc
> would do nothing.
>
> The slot for tracking references would still be there, but could be
> ignored -- even if it went negative.
>
> Since the reference count no longer has to be correct (for these
> objects), the reference counting macros could optimize to nothing when
> they know at compile time that they'll have one of these constant
> objects.

http://mail.python.org/pipermail/python-list/2003-September/thread.html#183710
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