[IronPython] IronPython - thread to Python?

[Jim Hugunin]

Nick Bastin wrote:
> > I saw an entry on one of my favorite "news" blogs, Daily Python:
> >
> > http://www.pythonware.com/daily/
> >
> > On 2004-08-23 Ted Leung had this to say:
> >
> > "I think that the threat from IronPython is much worse than the Bill
> > describes. Not only does IronPython have the potential to make
> > scripting on the JVM DOA, it also has the power to destroy Python as
> > we know it."
> >
> > This seems a bit melodramatic, doesn't it?
> 
> You should definitely read Ted's whole blog, and not just the blurb.
> He makes some good points, and his blog is generally a good read.  He
> makes his living writing code in python, so I wouldn't just write off
> his opinions...

I personally think that Ted's overstating any dangers, but I wouldn't
write-off his opinion.  I'd love to see Chandler running on IronPython and
taking full advantage of the CLR, so I suppose I'm guilty of some hubris.

IronPython is a new implementation of the Python language.  If I wanted to
build a new programming language, I would have called it Jim's Groovy New
Language or something like that.  The point of IronPython is to take the
Python language to a new platform.  This isn't to promise that IronPython
will be 100% compatible with CPython.  There will almost certainly be
differences.

I expect that the differences will be handled in a very similar way to the
differences between Jython and CPython.  Take a look at this document:
  http://jython.sourceforge.net/docs/differences.html
I drafted that document many years ago to keep track of known differences
between Jython and CPython.  I then sat down with Guido and went through the
list adding the comments in italics.  This clarified the reasons for the
differences and clarified the definition of what it means to be Python.

FYI  - this document is a little bit out of date.  CPython-2.4 has fixed the
first two items that say "CPython should be fixed".  I haven't investigated
any items beyond those two.

I'm pretty strongly convinced that Jython made Python a stronger language
both by extending its reach to the Java platform and by forcing the
developers to think about the difference between the Python language and a
particular implementation.  I have every reason to believe that IronPython
will have the same positive impact.

-Jim