Python bytecode compatibility between interpreter versions

[Joe Mason]

In article <c3k8m2$28mtia$1 at ID-180326.news.uni-berlin.de>, Jon Perez wrote:
>> Really?  I'm sorry, I have just a tiny bit of difficulty believing that,
>> considering all the stories i've heard about Java not being completely
>> cross-platform and cross-version.  I am sure that simple cases work as
>> you describe, but I'd like a cite for Java working as you describe in
>> general.
> 
> Yes.  Java works like that and has for a long time already.  One of the
> most notable examples i can give is the SVG viewer Batik (not a trivial
> program).  Worked liked a charm on both Linux and Win32, and it does not
> rely on an exact JRE on which it will run on properly.  Virtually all
> the Swing apps you can try out will work just as reliably and identically
> on different platforms as Batik.

This has not been remotely my experience.  Recently I tried 5 different
Linux JVM's for one program, leaving the Sun JRE until last because it
was a bit harder to install, and only the Sun one worked.

When a program *does* work right on multiple JVM's (Limewire, for
instance), I attribute it to the skill of the packagers.  The Limewire
team obviously put a lot of effort into that, just by looking at the
number of downloads and installers on their page.

Joe