why python is slower than java?

EP EP at zomething.com
Fri Nov 5 11:37:59 EST 2004


John Doe wrote (posthumously?):

> In this way version 1.0 is all python. v1.1 has 20% C++; v1.2 is 34% 
> C++
> ... until v2.0 is all C++. Each upgrades is faster, but does not 
> introduce
> any new functionality and the risks that new functions imply.
> 
> If you were faithful to this concept, version 3 requires you to use the
> oldest python branch who's functions will not be modified, to start
> development. Could be v1.1 or 1.9. 
> 
> C/C++ is for speed, not development.


Am I the only one to think this works, but makes no sense?

If one is to migrate their Python code to C++, one ends up with C++ code, which is great unless there is that (not so very rare) event where one wants to add new features, address new requirements, etc., etc.  Applications need to evolve.  If the finished code is going to be C++, one might just as well program in C++ from the start instead of aportioning mindshare between the two languages.  Mindshare devoted to thinking in a second language might instead be devoted to thinking about the application.

Python seems to exemplify living code and since good applications have a life of their own, shouldn't the code live as well?

Dipping into C++ for program hotspots seems like good pramaticism, but at the expense of the simplicity and clarity that is otherwise Pythonic.

Fast Python is an answer, a patchwork of programming languages is a work around.


Eric

I won't say that Python needs to be faster, but imagine Python running as fast as C++ without any special tricks and you can envision the opportunities lost due to Python lacking blazing speed.




More information about the Python-list mailing list