Flython

[Dave Benjamin]

In article <LIqdndvJz9MDoL3cRVn-og at powergate.ca>, Peter Hansen wrote:
> Dave Benjamin wrote:
> 
>> I just want to say, for the record, that if anyone can successfully build a
>> Python compiler that can produce Flash bytecode, I will personally allow
>> you to throw *any number of pies* in my face, in as public of a ceremony as
>> you desire. Furthermore, I will match you 50/50 in the cost of the pies.
> 
> Why on earth (unless it's the liking pies thing or the really wanting
> this to be done thing) would you say that?  Flash bytecode is pretty
> straightforward, and Python's not magic.

Because getting a pie (or twelve) in the face is a lot less work than
actually writing a parser and code generator. I have been writing
ActionScript for two years now, and I am so sick and tired of its lack of
useful data structures (like sets and dictionaries), god-awful
error-checking (any bad message results in the "undefined" value, which
accpets any message and returns the "undefined" value, and so on, until your
error surfaces someplace completely different from where it was caused),
lack of exceptions, lack of any standard for modularity... I could just go
on and on. I'm currently maintaining a 10,000 line ActionScript program, and
I would be so happy to rewrite it in Python right now.

And Python *is* magic. =)

> In any case, if this is a serious challenge, you'd better start
> identifying the constraints and minimum requirements, as I'm
> rather positive that it's possible to encode at least *one*
> Python statement (print) into Flash bytecode which would
> execute properly...  shall I demonstrate for, say, one pie?

Good point. I expect at least the full syntax as of Python 2.1, which means
list comps but no "yield" or metaclasses or any fancy stuff like that.
Perhaps one pie per Bagley's Shootout example, or maybe one pie per fully
exposed Flash API (MovieClip, LocalConnection, etc.). I'm open to
negotiation.

But the irony here is that the amount of work that would go into a Python
port to SWF would be far greater than the amount of suffering I would endure
from a bunch of pies in the face. It's really on my side, because you do all
the work, and then I don't have to write ActionScript anymore. =)

Best wishes,
Dave

-- 
 .:[ dave benjamin: ramen/[sp00] -:- spoomusic.com -:- ramenfest.com ]:.
        "talking about music is like dancing about architecture."