Python Performance

[Skip Montanaro]

    Robert> Just to address this for-instance, you can compile Python
    Robert> extensions for Win32 systems using the free egcs compiler.  See
    Robert> <URL: http://starship.python.net/crew/kernr/mingw32/Notes.html>
    Robert> for more information.

That's all well and good.  This is why I mentioned "technical depth".
Someone who's done very little programming, discovers Python and is merrily
whacking things into shape, then finds they need to recode a hotspot or two
in C is quite probably not going to have the mental model built up in their
brain to allow them to connect egcs, Python, extension modules, compilation,
dll building, (yadda, yadda, yadda) into a coherent whole.  It's also
unlikely they'll find Robert's excellent notes about egcs & Python on
Windows.

I am a Unix weenie with an MS in computer science.  I found my brief brushes
with the Windows C development environment terrible affairs ("where's make?"
"where's the debug flag?" "where's the *&!@+ debugger?" - to the point that
I simply installed cygwin and tried to make things look as much like Unix as
possible).  Most Windows weenies with CS degrees would probably find the
sort of Unix environment I happily muck around in on a daily basis equally
bothersome.  I think those of us who program for a living (or at least have
a good reason to invest a lot of time in writing software) all tend to
forget how much time and effort we've invested (over many years) learning
the systems we use and take them pretty much for granted.  I don't think
many of the people who write to help at python.org or the python-tutor list are
prepared to expend the effort necessary to learn the magic incantations -
not based on many of the questions I read there anyway.

Q-E-D-ly y'rs

Skip Montanaro	| http://www.mojam.com/
skip at mojam.com  | http://www.musi-cal.com/~skip/
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