Python.NET, MONO and Visual Studio etc.

[Paul Prescod]

Ron Stephens wrote:
> 
>...
> 
> ActiveState also developed a beta version of a Python.NET that would
> allow Python to use the CLI and VS. NET compiler. This effort was led by
> Mark Hammond. However, the task is difficult and the first beta was slow
> and very feature incomplete. I believe the Perl.Net version is further
> along? 

Perl.NET is similarly incomplete. ActiveState has a seperate PerlNET
product which is a bridge to .NET from Perl:

"allows .NET Framework code to access Perl code running outside
Microsoft's .NET framework using the traditional Perl interpreter.

PerlNET provides the following functionality:

Perl code runs at the same speed within .NET as it does outside 
All extension modules, including the ones using XS code, are supported 
PerlNET code is completely compatible with the standard Perl language,
including the string form of eval and the runtime use of require"

http://aspn.activestate.com/ASPN/Downloads/PerlNET/More

PerlNET is like JPE, not like Jython.

>...
> 
> Can a MONO.NET be created as easily or, hopefully, even easier , than a
> MS Python.NET? Is anyone thinking of creating a Mono.NET?

I don't know what Mono.NET would be. Mono is an implementation of .NET
already! Python.NET will likely run on Mono and MS.NET equally as long
as they both implement the ECMA .NET standard equally. Obviously the
Mono guys will try to be as similar to MS.NET as possible.

>... The Ruby newsgroup has had a lot
> of such discussion about a Ruby.NET (as well as a Java-Ruby version);

Talk is cheap. :-) Without any disrespect intended, open source people
tend to have big visions and sometimes they shoot past (Linux) and
sometimes they don't get to implement as much as they hope for.

> and I sense that Perl.Net may be Microsoft's and ActiveStates' first
> priorities for scripting languages for .Net.

ActiveState got both languages to a point where someone else could take
them up and try to optimize them and fill in the holes. There was a
sense that we could take what we learned there and make a product for
Perl (using a completely new strategy and an unrelated code base). As
.NET cranks up, customers may express interest in an equivalent for
Python. 

> By the way, I recall Alex Martelli was involved in the previous
> discussion of this topic. He is always one of my favorite posters, I
> always learn something when I read his posts, no matter what the topic.
> I have missed him lately. Does anyone know if he will be back???? Or am
> I just missing his posts? Alex, please come back....:-))))))

Alex is working on a couple of books. In the long run you'll thank him.

 Paul Prescod