IronPython Moving Forward Again

immytay writes " Jim Hugunin (Jython, Numeric, and other projects) has issued the first release of IronPython since joining Microsoft in August of last year. IronPython runs on .NET and Mono and is supposedly faster than the C version of Python. This new version is 0.7, while 0.6 was released last summer and covered here. According to the IronPython mailing list, Jim has help from a Microsoft co-worker, and he plans to work toward IronPython 1.0."

Re:Claim on 1.x times faster and alpha

[Anonymous Coward]

Once the code is converted to IL code, the CLR is responsible for the speed. Since the CLR doesn't change much, I would say that if they get working code now, it will have the same performance in 1.0

Vs Psyco?

[Anonymous Coward]

I'd be interested in seeing how this compares to Psyco [sourceforge.net], the runtime compiler for regular Python.

Psyco is also rather easy to use. For basic usage, put these two lines at the beginning of your program:

import psyco
psyco.full()

..and your program is magically faster! You can also combine with the Py2Exe utility to convert your project to an executable program (although it will still only be compiled at runtime).

Re:Phrase it any way you like

[Keeper]

If you could demonstrate that the changes were superflous in nature, perhaps you'd have a point. But given that you have no idea what was changed or the reasons for it, you're just being paranoid (and/or trolling, given the nature of your post).

v1.1 of .Net lacked certain features necessary for running a dynamic language (ie: perf would blow). These features were added in v2.0 (ie: perf no longer blows).

Read. React. Regurgitate.

[Keith Russell]

nt

No, I think we need t.

Every platform that has a .NET implementation already has a native Python implementation, which makes Hugunin's work, while interesting, ultimately redundant. I would love to hear how this little side project reinforces Microsoft's monopoly power in operating systems.

Re:Read. React. Regurgitate.

[damiangerous]

Not redundant at all. It's faster than CPython, and it can use both CLR and Python classes as well as extend CLR classes with Python.

Re:Phrase it any way you like

[BerntB]

you're just being paranoid [...]
v1.1 of .Net lacked certain features necessary [..]

Without looking into the matter, it might be needed extensions. As you write.

But... I'm not even going to Google for info on protocols, file formats, etc, etc.

Microsoft has a long history of using the standard monopolist tactics of restricting interoperability.

They will hardly stop doing it even if ordered to do so by a court (see recent EU problems). You certainly know that, too, so you are being disingenious.

Re:Phrase it any way you like

[Keeper]

So that makes it's ok to react in a knee jerk fashion and point fingers without knowing the actual facts involved? How does that add anything useful to the conversation?

open source maybe, where's the community?

[mike_sucks]

As Edd Dumbil pointed out, there's a number of questions that need to be answered before it is worth getting behind IronPython, such as:

- Is it actually Free Software?
- Why do I need a passport account Passport to participate?
- Why are you bothering to release source code if you're not willing to
accept patches?
- Why don't you want to get it working with Mono?

And so on.

Re:Except for Mono

[tigersha]

Ok, this is it. Now I stop reading /.

This place has now changed into a cesspool of religious people who make their own dicks grow by out-hating Microsoft. Not any better than Osama bin Laden, only a different Great Satan. And just as senseless.

2 Things.

a) Why SHOULD Microsoft give a fuck about whatever works on a copy of a project of theirs? So goddamn what if it does not work? Its THEIR project and THEIR right to make work whatever on it. Open Source is not the friggin Messiah demanding absolute subservience.

b) They used features from another version which Mono has not copied yet or even tried to copy yet or claimed to copy yet or claimed to try to copy yet. Capice?

Hello, hello, kneejerk hatred puts YOU on the bad side. Idiot.

This place should be labelled a hate speech site.

Re:open source maybe, where's the community?

[Jussi K. Kojootti]

If Hugunin has issues accepting patches because of who he works for, then that's a shame.

Of course it's a shame, but Hugunin might not be working on IronPython at all if MS didn't pay him -- which is better? You know, most employers put some restrictions on how their employees use their time.

I'm glad he thinks that that may change post 1.0, but why will these issues suddently be easier to work around just because the code has reached a stable version?

Hugunin thinks there are pros and cons to accepting patches, and that the cons currently outweigh the pros. Later, when the codebase is more mature, outside patches make more sense (patches generally touch less code, there are less conflicts , easier to review). I'm not sure his evaluation of the situation is 100% correct, but that does sound quite understandable to me.

I still would want some answers to these (and Edd Dumbill's, Miguel de Icaza's and Paolo Molaro's) questions before getting behing IronPython. The fact that such questions are raised at all is troubling, however.

Hugunin is participating [dreamhost.com] in this discussion. Really, he seems to be quite reasonable (gotdotnet and the web forums seem to be just tools for him -- if people really want to use something else, then that's what's going to happen).

The fact that questions are raised is not troubling, it just means there is real interest on this project. Different people, groups and companies will always have differing opinions on how a project like this should be run. Since it's a free software project, this is not dangerous - 'wrong' decisions by the project lead will result in a fork (only if the project really is interesting enough to warrant that much work though).