Popular conceit about learning programming languages

[Alex Martelli]

Pascal Costanza wrote:
   ...
> (All the scripting languages I have seen so far rely on C for the hairy
> stuff - and I definitely don't like that. There should be some
> alternative.)

There is.  Jython, www.jython.org, is an implementation of the Python 
language in and for Java -- complete, working, and quite solid.  Vyper, 
vyper.sf.net, was a similar project to implement a new dialect of Python in 
O'Caml (now the project is marked as "no longer active").  Python.NET was a 
similar (research) project to implement Python in C#, also now finished.

Of these, I would only suggest Jython as feasible for production work today.  
But surely if a third production-level implementation could be added to 
Classic Python and Jython, this *would* be quite a significant and 
meaningful accomplishment.

It's probably important to identify the motivations that would convince 
somebody to use the hypothetical "LisPython" rather than Common Lisp, 
Classic Python, or Jython; having a clear target in mind can ease many
design choices later on.  What are your ideas in the matter?


Alex