Python.NET

[Gerson Kurz]

On Sun, 17 Feb 2002 12:29:25 -0300, "Raphael Ribeiro"
<raphaelr at softhome.net> wrote:

>I want to know about you guys what do you think of Python.NET . ( I'm =
>thinking on learning python with .net , but i don't know if it is a good =
>option  , so i want to hear comments!)

Microsofts' Advertisment of Python for .NET is kind of misleading:

- "Visual Python" is just "plain old python" that uses the "Visual
Studio .NET" IDE. It does NOT produce code for .NET.

What they advertise on their page is this (excellent, but expensive)
IDE.

- Python.NET is an experimental compiler, and seems to be a
sort-of-abandoned project, see

http://www.activestate.com/Initiatives/NET/Research.html

The main restrictions are listed in the whitepaper that you'll find on
this page. 

Quote: """
- There is no support for some of the features of .NET that other
frameworks will require, such as custom attributes, PInvoke or
ASP.NET.  This means that Python for .NET users are not currently able
to write classes that interact with tools requiring those features.
Related topics are the mismatch between the class/instance semantics,
module/package semantics and exception systems.

- The speed of the current system is so low as to render the current
implementation useless for anything beyond demonstration purposes.
This speed problem applies to both the compiler itself, and the code
generated by the compiler.  Given that part of the appeal of Python
programming is a quick edit-compile-run cycle, the speed issues
severely limit the utility of Python on this platform.  Some of the
blame for this slow performance lies in the domain of .NET  internals
and Reflection::Emit, but some of it is due to the simple
implementation of the Python for .NET compiler.

- There is no support for some Python features that some programs will
require.  Most of these are fairly obscure, but are a limitation.
Examples include:
- String formatting
- Core language features, such as long integers, complex numbers,
builtin object methods and so forth.
- The standard Python library
"""

Basically, while M$ hypes the Multilanguage-thing for .NET, right now
its best to EITHER concentrate on Python, OR on .NET. If I were you,
I'd choose Python ;)