PyOpinion: Does Python Programming Marginalize You?

Ken Seehof 12klat at sightreader.com
Wed Jun 7 01:30:32 EDT 2000



Rainer Deyke wrote:

> Richard P. Muller <rpm at wag.caltech.edu> wrote in message
> news:393D2797.4E4EE7CC at wag.caltech.edu...
> > What else should we be doing to make Python *the* programming language
> > rather than *a* programming language?
>
> Write an optimizing compiler that increase performance by a factor of at
> least 100 and decreases memory usage by a factor of at least 100.  Python in
> its current incarnation is too inefficient to be useful as primary language
> for shrink-wrapped software.

Because of it's dynamic nature, Python simply can't be optimized all that much
(read about all that type inference stuff and you'll see what I mean).
Fortunately that just doesn't matter!

98% of code does not need to run fast.  You write the other 2% in C.
98% of all objects (on a per-object basis) do not need to be packed tight.  You
implement the other 2% in C.

Conclusion: The primary language does not need to be efficient.

Any questions?

> --
> Rainer Deyke (root at rainerdeyke.com)
> "In ihren Reihen zu stehen heisst unter Feinden zu kaempfen" - Abigor

--
Ken Seehof
kens at sightreader.com
starship.python.net/crew/seehof
Hi! I'm a .signature virus! copy me into your .signature file to help me spread!


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