Python 2.0

[Robert Meegan]

On Thu, 27 May 1999, Graham Matthews wrote:

[...]

> 
> I was wondering if this is seriously being considered -- that is
> implementing Python 2.0 in Java rather than C. While I understand
> that there are some technical challenges with this (notably interfacing
> to the existing C implemented extensions), I personally think there
> is a lot to be said for compiling Python to the JVM. For example:
> access to the Java apis, garbage collection, true compilation, the
> ability to write statically typed code (just write that part in Java!),
> access to Swing, promoting Python on the coat-tails of Java (free
> publicity and hype), etc.
> 
> Comments?
> 

For many (if not most) Python programmers, this would be a disaster. In addition
to the many extensions publicly available, it seems inevitable that anyone
coding for long will pick up a number of homegrown extensions. For the
overwhelming majority of programmers who don't know Java (and especially for the
admittedly smaller number who don't *want* to know Java) implementing Python in
Java would remove the option of creating extensions.

Without this ability, many of the tasks for which I use Python would be
virtually impossible. I suspect that many others would feel the same way.

JPython has many features that make it interesting and there are environments in
which it makes more sense than does CPython, but it should not become the only
(or even primary) implementation of Python.

Hier bin ich, ich kann nicht anders.

--- Robert

--------------------------------
Robert Meegan
MCIWorldCom - Cedar Rapids, Iowa
319.375.2416