Python compilation ??

[VSmirk]

On Jul 3, 10:42 pm, Frank Swarbrick <info... at earthlink.net> wrote:
> John Nagle wrote:
> > Evan Klitzke wrote:
> >> On 7/2/07, Cathy Murphy <c... at nachofoto.com> wrote:
>
> >>> Is python a compiler language or interpreted language. If it is
> >>> interpreter
> >>> , then why do we have to compile it?
>
> >   Iron Python compiles to Microsoft's byte code as used by their
> > ".NET" common language runtime.  This is then compiled to machine
> > code by a just-in-time compiler.
>
> Does Iron Python compile to free-standing executables, or is there an
> Iron Python interpreter that is always necessary?
>
> Frank

Here's what I understand:

As with Java, which compiles to ByteCode which only runs with the Java
Virtual Machine, IronPython compiles to MSIL code, which will run on
any machine which has the .Net framework installed.

However, MS set up .Net so it appears in the file system as a .exe,
so, IronPython should be in experience no different from any other
application.  The trick is to handle whether or not the user has the
correct (or any) .Net framework, which is easily solved by adding an
installer project which will install required files.

This answer is not based on my personal experience with IronPython,
which I haven't personally played with much yet, but is based on my
day-job experience with C# and VB.Net, both of which compile to MSIL
code and work as I describe, and with Python after hours and my
knowledge of how Jython and IronPython work in theory.

I would be very interested in learning if IronPython is not
implemented as I describe.

VSmirk