Python for large projects

[Peter Hansen]

Paul Rubin wrote:
> I keep hearing this, but I don't see any large (much less very large)
> applications that have been done in Python; Zope is medium sized.
> 
> Suppose you wanted to write any of the following:
> 
> 1) Optimizing C/C++ compiler, like GCC
> 2) Full featured web browser, like MSIE or Mozilla
> 3) Full featured office suite, like MS Office or Open Office or KDE
> 4) Avionics for the space shuttle
> 5) Internals of a large telephone/data switch
> 6) Tax processing software for the IRS
> 7) Operating system kernel (Linux: the next generation)
> 8) Accounting software for a big bank
> 9) Full featured database like Oracle or Postgres
> 10) ... well you get the idea.
> 
> Which, if any, would you write in Python?  By "write in Python" I mean
> the central framework and most of the code is written in Python,
> though you're allowed to use the C API as needed.  Using Python to
> provide some functions around the edges (e.g. the operator UI for the
> phone switch) doesn't count.  Note that these are all supposed to be
> used in production and not just as technology demos, so speed matters
> (nobody wants a compiler that's 10x slower than GCC.  GCC is slow
> enough already).
> 
> I think I'd spend some time at least considering Python in each of the
> above cases, but I'm not sure I could convincingly make it fly for any
> of them.

D'oh!  You ask this just before some of us have to leave for PyCon?!
How cruel!  ;-)

(Hmm... maybe a BOF for "serious s/w engineering with Python" or
something like that?)

-Peter