Python compiled on Windows

[Duncan Booth]

Franz Steinhaeusler <franz.steinhaeusler at gmx.at> wrote:

> @Duncan: Yes, you are not wrong! :)
> But this is not really open source in my opinion.
> Ok there is the VC++ toolkit for download.

Which I agree totally is a real pain finding the right versions to 
download.

> 
> I'm just curious, if there ever had compiled on windows using
> that toolkit or even with gcc, and with gcc, whether there are
> problems or/and differences in speed and run time behaviour.
> 

Yes, people have compiled Python with gcc on windows. I believe it is
slightly slower than the standard release, but I would guess that may
depend on the exact versions of gcc/msc you choose to compare, and the
exact compiler options you choose (or I may even be imagining it
entirely).

As I understand it, you can use Mingw to compile extension modules which
are compatible with the standard release of Python, and of course there
is always cygwin. 

But I still don't understand what difference it makes to anyone between:

an application (could be open or closed source) running on an open
source language (Python) compiled with a closed source compiler on a
closed source OS. 

versus

an application (could be open or closed source) running on an open
source language (Python) compiled with an open source compiler on a
closed source OS. 

at the end of the day you still have a mix of open and closed source
components. If it makes you feel better to be using an open source
compiler that's fine, but it doesn't really do anything for me.