Python IS slow ! [was] Re: Python too slow for real world

[Graham Matthews]

William Tanksley (wtanksle at dolphin.openprojects.net) wrote:
: Your data is correct (Python is slow for many things, slower than it needs
: to be), but your conclusion is wrong.  Python isn't slow because its
: bytecode engine is slow; actually, although there's a lot of room for
: improvement, its bytecode engine is faster than many of the others out
: there.
: 
: The reason it's slow is its runtime model.  _Every_ function call requires
: a lookup in a hash table, just on the off-chance that the programmer
: changed the meaning of the function.

I don't buy this. As far as I know every function call in Self and
Smalltalk also requires a lookup (just like Python), but both languages
are significantly faster than Python it seems.

graham
-- 
              This ain't no technological breakdown
                 Oh no, this is the road to hell