Python compilers?

[Nolan Darilek]

I've been programming with C++ for nearly a year, and after seeing how
other languages are structured, and their benefits, I'm becoming
disenchanted with it.

So, I've been searching for another language. One item which I would
like to have, though, is the ability to compile to native code. While
I completely agree with open source philosophies, I'd like to have the
option to not release source if, for example, I was working on a game
and wanted to dissuade the lazy from peeking at the script source for
the solution. :) I know about freeze, but the created binaries are
extremely large, which makes sense considering how they are made. :)

So, are there any native Python compilers? Someone on IRC mentioned a project
called Viper, and my searches seem to indicate that it is under
development, but is there any information on the web about its status?
Also, What is swallow? I tried doing a websearch for swallow and
Python, and ended up with tons of Holy Grail references, but nothing
to answer my question. :) I ask because I've seen swallow coupled with
viper in a few messages; is swallow another python/pseudopython
interpreter/compiler?

One final question. How compatible/cross-platform are Python
bytecodes? If I wanted to distribute applications in Python while
hiding the sources from the user, would it be possible to distribute
.pyc files, or the bytecodes specific to a specific version/platform?