Microsoft IronPython?

[Luis M. González]

EP wrote:
> - create a more prevalent version of "Python" that is less Pythonic or
> undermines some of the principles of the language, basically usurping
> Python as we conceive it in the process...

I understand all the concerns, the evil empire and all that..
But I think nothing of this will happend.
Nobody said anything when Jim Hugunin created Jython (python for java).
What about Sun? Isn't it a big corporation? Is Java Open source?
The result of Jython is that it made python a little bit more popular,
because it's cool to leverage your skills while still "doing Java".
The same will happen with Ironpython. Many people needs to work with
.NET, because their companies use this technology or because their
customers want it, and because the market needs .NET developers.So if
you are in this situation, wouldn't you like to use Python, while still
doing .NET?

Besides, MS goal is not controlling python (or killing it). What they
want is making the CLR (.NET) an attactive and succesful framework, and
they plan to do this by supporting as many languages as possible. They
are also planning to help other developes port their languages to .Net
and they want it to be a good runtime for runing dynamic languages.

MS product is not Ironpython (or C# or VB). It's product is the CLR,
the .NET framework.
They don't care who creates or develops a language, as long as it runs
on the CLR.
And if the CLR turns out to be good and succesful, I want Python to run
on it.

What's more, I got the feeling that MS understood that they have to win
the programmers hearts in order to attract them, and they won't do this
by "stealing" what they love most.
The key of their success is in attracting programmers to their field,
not to C# or to VB.Net, but to the CLR.
Don't you think?

Luis