[Python-Dev] stackable ints [stupid idea (ignore) :v]

[Barry A. Warsaw]

>>>>> "TP" == Tim Peters <tim_one at email.msn.com> writes:

    TP> Jumping in to opine that mixing tag/type bits with native
    TP> pointers is a Really Bad Idea.  Put the bits on the low end
    TP> and word-addressed machines are screwed.  Put the bits on the
    TP> high end and you've made severe assumptions about how the
    TP> platform parcels out address space.  In any case you're stuck
    TP> with ugly macros everywhere.

Ah, so you /have/ read the Emacs source code!  I'll agree that it's
just an RBI for Emacs, but for Python, it'd be a RFSI.

    TP> This technique was pioneered by Lisps, and was beautifully
    TP> exploited by the Symbolics Lisp Machine and TI Lisp Explorer
    TP> hardware.  Lisp people don't want to admit those failed, so
    TP> continue simulating the HW design by hand at comparatively
    TP> sluggish C speed <0.6 wink>.

But of course, the ghosts live on at the FSF and xemacs.org (couldn't
tell ya much about how modren <sic> Lisps do it).

-Barry