Why is this loop heavy code so slow in Python? Possible Project Euler spoilers

[Neil Cerutti]

On 2007-09-02, Martin v. Löwis <martin at v.loewis.de> wrote:
>>> (2) it is a interpretation language
>> Not quite. It's compiled to byte-code - just like Java (would
>> you call Java an 'interpreted language' ?)
>
> Python is not implemented like Java. In Java (at least in
> HotSpot), the byte code is further compiled to machine code
> before execution; in Python, the byte code is interpreted.
>
> Whether this makes Python an interpreter or a compiler, I don't
> know.

I'd call it an integrated compiler and virtual machine--a classic
combination.

-- 
Neil Cerutti