[Python-Dev] Making builtins more efficient

[Nick Coghlan]

Steven Elliott wrote:
> I'm interested in how builtins could be more efficient.  I've read over
> some of the PEPs having to do with making global variables more
> efficient (search for "global"):
>     http://www.python.org/doc/essays/pepparade.html
> But I think the problem can be simplified by focusing strictly on
> builtins.

Unfortunately, builtins can currently be shadowed in the module global 
namespace from outside the module (via constructs like "import mod; mod.str = 
my_str"). Unless/until that becomes illegal, focusing solely on builtins 
doesn't help - the difficulties lie in optimising builtin access while 
preserving the existing name shadowing semantics.

PEP 280 seems to be about as simple as an approach can get while still 
possessing the correct semantics.

Cheers,
Nick.

-- 
Nick Coghlan   |   ncoghlan at gmail.com   |   Brisbane, Australia
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