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Wet Dream--python to native compiler

Laura Creighton lac at strakt.com
Sat Dec 14 13:53:55 EST 2002 
> Laura Creighton <lac at strakt.com> wrote in message news:<mailman.1039843279.31
> 621.python-list at python.org>...
> > > Laura Creighton <lac at strakt.com> wrote in message 
> > > 
> > > > As I recall, last time we discussed this, we decided that the lack of
> > > > an army of grad students at a time when it was possible to get a
> > > > Masters or a Phd for writing a compiler was responsible.  
> > > 
> > > Why isn't that possible anymore?
> > > 
> > > Steve
> > > -- 
> >  
> > 1. Universities aren't impressed by Compiler Writing any more. (Been
> >    done before, they say).
> 
> I don't understand that.  That is like not allowing a book to be
> written for a thesis because other PhD students have written books
> before.  A book?  been there. done that :).

The problem is larger than that.  Ever since people started getting
degrees to hold down larger salaries, there has been a big conflict
between those people who want degrees to reflect 'completely new
original work that advances the field' and those who would just like
to get certified as 'being bloody more impressive than a 4 year
degree man, and got the wallpaper to prove it'.  There are lots of
people who would like the second option, if only we could find a way
to give it to them, but since we cannot, they are stuck having to do
original research as well.  Suggestions on how to improve this state
of affairs desparately wanted here -- or in private mail.  It is really
bad, people.

> 
> 
> > 
> > 2. There are too many languages, so any given Language gets a fraction
> >    of what they would have got when 'there was Lisp ....  and there
> >    was everything else'.  <Smiling warmly at the Lispers who are saying,
> >    huh? But _nothing_ has changed ...>
> 
> A fraction of what?

Christian Tismer is busy making Psycho, to improve the speed of Python.
I know somebody else doing the same for Eiffel, and another who has
speed hacks for Haskell, and another who is working away with Limbo.
If all these guys were working on one language, Lisp-Prime, say, then
the job would get done faster.

> 
> Too many languages?  How assine.  The field, its needs, and answers to
> those needs evolve over time........but that is one of those things
> academics aren't always in touch with.
> 
> At my last job I had a friend who was a big BIG fan of lisp.  
> 
> I was impressed with the capabilities of the language, but IMHO the
> Lisp community has to be one of the most enthusiastic and at the same
> time one of the most self-sabtoging user communities.
> 
> They would love nothing better then to see Lisp become popular again,
> but they will not do the things it takes to make it happen ( or they
> are, but just not enough ).

Mostly I think they don't understand what it would take, or think
they already tried it and it didn't work.  There comes a point in
every Lisper's life when the temptation to say 'If you don't think 
that Lisp is cool, then to Hell With You' grows very hard to counter.

> 
> Steve
> -- 
> http://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/python-list

Laura Creighton
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