[Tutor] Virtual Machine Terminology

[orbitz at ezabel.com]

Python is a language.  A program written in Python is just a program.  A in
python written with wxPython is just a program.  A virtual machine is what your
python program will run in. It will interpret your python bytecode and offer
your program an interface tothe actual machine.


On Wed, 21 Apr 2004 14:28:20 -0500
Vicki Stanfield <vicki at thepenguin.org> wrote:

> Is Python itself or wxPython or a program written in Python considered to be a
> virtual machine? Confused by the term itself, I went online and found this
> definition:
> 
> A virtual machine is a machine written in software, which provides an abstract
> layer to applications. In a layered application the virtual machine acts as
> the lowest layer, providing abstraction over the native environment. If an
> application is be ported to another environment only the virtual machine needs
> to be re implemented. The application layers written above it remain
> unchanged, as they use the same abstract interface to the virtual machine.
> 
> This definition seems to fit almost any programming or scripting language. Is
> a BASH script which handles printing also then a virtual machine? Or even the
> operating system? Can anyone shed some light on this for me?
> 
> --vicki
> 
> 
> 
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