[Python-Dev] C API for gc.enable() and gc.disable()

["Martin v. Löwis"]

> I can say with complete certainty that of the 20+ programmers I've had
> working for me, many who have used Python for 3+ years, not a single one
> would think to question the garbage collector if they observed the kind
> of quadratic time complexity I've demonstrated.  This is not because
> they are stupid, but because they have only a vague idea that Python
> even has a garbage collector, never mind that it could be behaving badly
> for such innocuous looking code.
> 
> Maybe we should consider more carefully before declaring the status quo
> sufficient.

This was precisely my question: What follows from the above observation?

I personally didn't declare the status quo sufficient - I merely
declared it as being the status quo.

> Average developers do allocate millions of objects in
> bursts and super-linear time complexity for such operations is not
> acceptable.  Thankfully I am around to help my programmers work around
> such issues or else they'd be pushing to switch to Java, Ruby, C#, or
> whatever since Python was inexplicably "too slow" for "real work".  This
> being open source, I'm certainly willing to help in the effort to do so,
> but not if potential solutions will be ruled out as being unnecessary.

I wouldn't rule out solutions as being unnecessary. I might rule out
solutions that negatively impact existing software, for the sake of
improving other existing software.

Unfortunately, the only way to find out whether a solution will be ruled
out is to propose it first. Only then you'll see what response you get.

Regards,
Martin