Python future performance and speed

[Paul Rubin]

luismg at gmx.net (Neuruss) writes:
> That's a surprise! I didn't know about Lisp, so I did a quick search
> in Google and I found this quote from CMUCL website:
> 
> "a sophisticated native-code compiler which is capable of powerful
> type inferences, and generates code competitive in speed with C
> compilers."

Heh, amazingly enough, the compiler subsystem of CMUCL also, by complete
coincidence, happens to be called Python.  

> Has anyone tried to learn from this experience? Could this technology
> be used with Python?

I think Lisp compiler techniques can be used for Python, but some
parts of Python semantics are messier to compile.  That's no big
surprise; Lisp semantics evolved over the years directly in response
to the needs of Lisp compilers.  I think Python will probably evolve
the same way and I hope PyPy is deployable soon, since that will speed
up compiler development a lot.  I think we should consider a
semi-moratorium til then on new language features that might affect
compilation.


> "There's another guy I'd also like to invite, a Lisp expert, if that's
> ok with you.  He's been interested in writing a Python compiler for a
> while.  I'll ask him if he wants to join, but he might not."
> 
> What happened?

I don't remember what that was about, but I can guess which guy I must
have been thinking of.  He's still around and used to read this newsgroup
sometimes.