[Python-Dev] VM and Language summit info for those not at Pycon (and those that are!)

[Jesse Noller]

On Sun, Mar 20, 2011 at 7:19 AM, Stefan Behnel <stefan_ml at behnel.de> wrote:
> Nick Coghlan, 12.03.2011 12:43:
>>
>> I posted my rough notes and additional write-ups for Wednesday's VM
>> summit and Thursday's language summit:
>>
>>
>> http://www.boredomandlaziness.org/2011/03/python-vm-summit-rough-notes.html
>>
>> http://www.boredomandlaziness.org/2011/03/python-vm-summit-somewhat-coherent.html
>>
>> http://www.boredomandlaziness.org/2011/03/python-language-summit-rough-notes.html
>>
>> http://www.boredomandlaziness.org/2011/03/python-language-summit-highlights.html
>
> It appears that there has been little mention of Cython at the summit,
> despite of the speed of CPython being a major topic, according to the notes.
> I can see several areas where Cython could help in speeding up core CPython,
> one of the most obvious being compilation of standard library modules, and
> JIT-like compilation of Python modules at import time.
>
> Nick mentioned that there was a discussion of making C-only modules
> available as alternative Python implementations. I'd like to suggest the
> opposite as well: make pure Python stdlib modules optionally compilable to
> fast C code using Cython. The obvious advantages are a) speed and b) a
> single code base for both Python and C modules.
>
> Stefan

The reason why there was no mention is probably because no one
intimately familiar with Cython was there, and if they were - it was
not brought up. If Cython supports PyPy - and Jython, and IronPython,
your proposal makes sense. The reason for "pure" python implementation
is so that other implementations can share the exact same standard
library we have today. I don't see adding a cython version as helping
that.