Pythonwin and .NET

[Alex Martelli]

Maan Hamze wrote:
        ...
> Microsoft lacks the power of introspection and imagination to take
> advantage
> of different languages.  It is a field that is strewn by unfinished

Watch out against rampant generalization.  Microsoft employees these days 
include guys such as Luca Cardelli -- remember, "Microsoft Research" is a 
powerhouse including most of the people who once did research for DEC.  

Large companies with fat profit margins can afford splendid research 
outfits -- it's quite possible that the company as a whole lacks the 
imagination &c to take advantage of their bright lights in research (just 
see what AT&T/Lucent, Xerox, DEC, and so some extent even IBM [about which 
I cannot be equanimous, since I _did_ use to be in IBM Research:-)] did in 
the past...).  But it's not always so... the .NET Framework (as opposed to 
other, vaguer parts of the .NET "vision") was designed with lots of input 
from very bright guys & gals in MS Research, other research outfits (e.g. 
the Mercury language guys from Australia), and brilliant practising 
engineers such as Hejilsberg (the guy who once thought up Turbo Pascal, 
then later Delphi and the VCL).  Don't underestimate the power of money to 
attract very good researchers and more generally very bright people:-).


Alex