[Python-3000] Cross-interpreter FFI for Python 3000? (original) (raw)

Guido van Rossum guido at python.org
Tue Aug 8 23:31:59 CEST 2006

On 8/8/06, Terry Reedy <tjreedy at udel.edu> wrote:

> I would suggest that PyPy's use of ctypes, coupled with the inclusion of > ctypes in the Python 2.5 stdlib, means that ctypes could reasonably be > considered a defacto standard for a C FFI in Python at this point.

Intriguing idea. I know that the Pygame folks, for example, are experimenting with rewrapping the SDL (Simple Directmedia Library, the core of Pygame) in ctypes.

Isn't a problem with ctypes that such extensions can no longer guarantee "no segfaults"? This pretty much completely rules them out for use in sandboxes such as what Brett Cannon is currently working on. With hand-written extensions at least you can audit them to decide whether they are safe enough.

-- --Guido van Rossum (home page: http://www.python.org/~guido/)

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