Python Berkley DB and speed issues

[Fredrik Lundh]

Thomas Weholt <thomas at bibsyst.no> wrote:
> Was just wondering about how Python is when it comes to speed using it`s
> built-in dictionaries. I`m converting a perl-project where a Berkley DB
> hash-table stored several million entries about files stored on cd-roms.
> The speed in the perl-project was ok, and it seems like Python has a
> very similar approach to this method, using pickle- and shelve-modules (
> or Berkley DB). My question is : will the speed drop as the data gets
> larger, using pickle and shelve, or do I have to use Berkely DB?

note that shelve runs on top of a hashed database engine,
such as Berkeley DB (via dbhash/bsddb) or gdbm.  if no such
engine is installed, it falls back to a "slow-and-simple" pure
Python implementation:

http://www.python.org/doc/current/lib/module-anydbm.html

</F>