Python un-plugging the Interpreter

[cfbolz at googlemail.com]

On 25 Apr., 16:09, Steve Holden <s... at holdenweb.com> wrote:
> >      Python as a language is in good shape.  But the CPython
> > implementation is holding back progress.   What we need are better
> > and faster implementations of the language we've got.
>
> Hear, hear!
>
> >      PyPy, ShedSkin, and Jython all were steps in the right
> > direction, but none had enough momentum to make it.
> > Jython hasn't had a release since 2002, ShedSkin is basically
> > one guy, and the EU pulled the plug onPyPy.
>
> Hey there, loose talk costs lives, you know. That is a complete
> mischaracterization of the true position.

Indeed!

> Progress on Jython may not have been stellar, but it has occurred and is
> ongoing. Yes, Shedskin is "one guy", but so was Psyco and that was (and
> remains) a useful tool.
>
> As far as I am aware the PyPy project has come to the end of its initial
> EU funding, and they chose to focus on producing deliverables close to
> the end of the project phase rather that divert effort into securing
> ongoing funding. So nobody has "pulled the plug", and I believe there is
> every possibility of a further round of funded research and development
>   in the future. Certainly the results to date would justify that action
> on the part of the EU. I don't know if and when the request for further
> funding will be submitted.

Indeed here too. "pulling the plug" sounds like an extremely unfair
description. There never was the plan to get funding longer than what
we got so far (at least not with additional action from our side). And
yes, there is the possibility of getting additional funding in the
future, although we are not concretely thinking about it yet.

Apart from that, work on PyPy is definitely continuing, at least after
the much needed break most PyPy-developers are currently taking to
recover from the stress of the EU project (yes, funding has its
downsides too).

Cheers,

Carl Friedrich