Compile for IBM Mainframe + performance

[Christos TZOTZIOY Georgiou]

On Tue, 19 Aug 2003 10:49:04 +0200, rumours say that "Jaco van Tonder"
<jvantonde at silica.co.za> might have written:

>Hi There
Hi Jaco

>We are currently busy with a conversion project on substantial data volumes
>using python.
>Conversion program currently compiled for AIX, Sun and NT .

"Conversion program currently compiled"... seems you are rewriting in
Python an already existing program?

>There is a direct relation between the size of the processors and the speed
>of the program(Hence NT platform outperforming AIX and Sun).

By size I presume you mean MHz speed?  Obviously not the physical size
of the processor (although the latter allows for more electrons running
wild inside the CPU :)

>Is there any suggestions on how the speed of the program might be improved.

Sure: I suggest you make it faster (generic answer for a generic
question :)

>Is it possible to compile python for a Mainframe(IBM) environment.

Yes it is, others have done it for AIX.  In case you don't have a C
compiler for your (generic) IBM Mainframe, try installing the gcc
compiler; there must be some "official" installation offered by IBM or
by others.  It's possible though that the python executable will be
faster if compiled with the IBM compilers (this is the case for SGI
Irix, MIPSPro-compiled python is faster than gcc-compiled one).

>Are there any special patches or considerations that have to be taken into
>account when compiling for the Mainframe environment.

You'll have to search google (and groups.google.com) with some relevant
keywords.  Then, you might come back with more specific questions.
-- 
TZOTZIOY, I speak England very best,
Microsoft Security Alert: the Matrix began as open source.