ANN: Stackless Python 0.2

[Christian Tismer]

ANNOUNCING:

               Stackless Python 0.2
           A Python Implementation Which
             Does Not Ese The C Stack

What is it?
A plugin-replacement for core Python.
It should run any program which runs under Python 1.5.2 .
But it does not need space on the C stack.

Why did I write it?
Stackless Python was never written before (afaik), since it
was said to be impossible without major rewrites of core Python.
I am proving the controverse:
It is easy to write, just hard to think.

Who needs it?
At the moment, this is only useful for C programmers
who want to try certain new ideas. Hardcore stuff.
It allows to modify the current execution state by
changing the frame stack chain without restictions,
and it allows for pluggable interpreters on a per-frame-basis.

The possibilities are for instance:

Coroutines, Continuations, Generators

Restartable exceptions and Persistent execution state
might be possible.

Stackless extension modules can be built. The new builtin
stackless "map" function is a small example for this.

Coroutines will be able to run at the speed of
a single C function call, which makes them a considerable
alternative in certain algorithms.

Status of the project:
Stackless-ness has been implemented and tested with pystone.
pystone works correctly and is about 4-5 % slower than
with standard Python.

What I need at the moment is
- time to build a sample coroutine extension
- your input, your testing, critics and hints.

Some still rough documentation is available at
http://www.pns.cc/stackless/stackless.htm

Source code and a VC++6.0 build for Windows can be found
from the document or directly from
ftp://ftp.pns.cc/pub/stackless_990611.zip

cheers - chris

-- 
Christian Tismer             :^)   <mailto:tismer at appliedbiometrics.com>
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