[IPython-dev] [matplotlib-devel] [Enthought-Dev] Ctypes based prototype of PyOS_InputHook for wx 2.8 and 2.9

[Gael Varoquaux]

On Fri, Jul 17, 2009 at 02:13:08PM -0600, Ondrej Certik wrote:
> so I also reduced the sleep in #3 from 0.05 to 0.01 and then #3 is
> absolutely smooth for me and also pasting to ipython is immediate e.g.
> this looks like a perfect solution to me.

Polling at 100Hz is a horrendous solution from a technical point of view.
I typical have a dozen IPython instances opened, where I have been
working a while ago, but not doing anything right now, because I am
planning to come back to it. Having these all poll at a 100Hz wil keep my
laptop hot, make it switch context all the time, and drain the battery.
Adobe Flash works that way. I use it as seldom as possible.

One trick I play sometimes when I am developping software that needs to
poll and cannot be event-driven, is to unable polling when there is
activity, but turn it off when there is None. I am not sure how you can
adapt the idea here, though.

Gaël