PyPy with a smaller PVM for the full Python?

[John Roth]

Casey Hawthorne wrote:
> Currently PyPy is working toward compiling to C a restricted subset of
> Python, called RPython.
>
> Would it be possible for PyPy to "compile" the full subset of Python
> by also using a lot smaller version of the PVM (Python Virtual
> Machine) to go with the "compiled" code?
> So, the user would be running the C object code and also a smaller
> PVM!
>
> Or would this completely remove or severely reduce any speed advantage
> of the compiled code?
>
>
> Similarly, for JPython (which is at Python 2.2?), could one also use a
> lot smaller accompanying PVM with the JPython source code and JVM to
> use Python 2.5 in its entirety?
>
> --
> Regards,
> Casey

The PyPy project, as I understand it, is to have a version
of Python that's entirely written in Python. The RPython
modules are the ones that will be compiled into C so that
they can then be compiled into a virtual machine. I doubt
very much if there's anything that can be done to subset
it further. Their direction on performance is toward a JIT
(Just In Time compiler), not to put lots of code in C so
that it runs fast.

The same goes for both Java and the CLR (IronPython).
I believe there are plans to subset the JVM in the
2.7 release, but I have my doubts whether that will reduce
the JVM footprint as far as running Jython is concerned.
The intention is to reduce the initial footprint for runing the
JVM under a browser.

John Roth