Porting Python to non-pc platforms (AS/400)

[Jay Graves]

>How about springing for the C compiler and doing the port?  There's not
>really a chance to <wink> after that question.  I presume that the C

>compiler for the AS/400 isn't free.  Consequently, the port is not likely
to


Its about $1200 for my machine.

>happen in the traditional manner (person x discovers Python's not available
>on his favorite platform, y, so he downloads GCC and ports it).
>Consequently, the port will have to come (mostly) from the community that
>uses the platform and has the bucks to spring for the compiler.


I have VERY little experience with C (I can recognize a C program 2 out of 3
times. (-:  )   In your opinion, how hard is Python to port?  If I shell out
the bucks for a compiler, what chance to you give a neophyte C programmer of
getting it to compile and run?

>Just out of curiosity, what language have you standardized on, and on what
>platforms?

I know you asked this question of Scott, but I'll reply for the AS/400
community in general.  I would guess 90% of all application development is
done in some variant of RPG.  Cobol probably makes up the other 10%.  OS/400
is mainly an applications box with a very good and robust DB built-in.  Also
to that end, there are OS features that allow groups of DB records to be
displayed on the screen efficiently.  As I understand it, these features are
hard to code in C (or at least harder than RPG/COBOL).  Also, its only
within the last 3-4 years that the C compiler has achieved acceptable
performance.  IBM is pushing Java very hard to fill in as an applications
language and have made great strides, but most new development on the AS/400
is still done in RPG.
I'm new to Python but it has taken a deep hold over me.  I very much want to
use it in my AS/400 work.  I may have to think spending the dough on the C
compiler.

Thanks for your time...
Jay Graves