Python 2.0

[Paul Boddie]

Graham Matthews wrote:

[...]

> But I am not sure I see what the connection is between how JPython does
> memory management and garbage collection in Python in general.

[...]

> Donn Cave (donn at u.washington.edu) wrote:
> : Well, I think there's something to be said for it.  With Python, we're
> : free from the obnoxious requirement imposed by the storage model of
> : languages like C, that forces the programmer to account for each scrap
> : of malloc'd memory lest there be leaks.
> : ...
> : Why should I enjoy this freedom with memory resources, but welcome exactly
> : the same constraints when an object has other termination requirements?
> 
> Because other kinds of objects are different to memory? Also I am not
> sure why you think GC can't handle other kinds of objects as well. Maybe
> Java doesn't do a good job of resource finalisation, but that doesn't
> mean it can't be done.

So, we have established that it can indeed be done, but reaching back into the
depths of time and pulling out the original proposal - being that Python should
have its primary (or only) implementation running in the Java environment - we
can see that regardless of the existence of satisfactory GC schemes, the typical
Java implementation surely falls short of what many people require.

Therefore, whilst there may well be a need for more sophisticated GC in Python
2.0, we must conclude that the Java environment may not be the appropriate place
in which such technologies are to be found.

Paul