[Python-Dev] Re: Python 2.0 and Stackless (original) (raw)

Barry A. Warsaw bwarsaw@beopen.com
Sat, 5 Aug 2000 20:12:58 -0400 (EDT)

"ESR" == Eric S Raymond <esr@thyrsus.com> writes:

ESR> I must say I agree.  Something pretty similar to Stackless
ESR> Python is going to have to happen anyway for the language to
ESR> make its next major advance in capability -- generators,
ESR> co-routining, and continuations.

Stackless definitely appeals to me from a coolness factor, though I don't know how much I'd use those new capabilities that it allows. The ability to embed Python on hardware that might otherwise not be possible without Stackless is also an interesting thing to explore.

ESR> I also agree that this is a more important debate, and a
ESR> harder set of decisions, than the PEPs.  Which means we
ESR> should start paying attention to it *now*.

Maybe a PEP isn't the right venue, but the semantics and externally visible effects of Stackless need to be documented. What if JPython or Python .NET wanted to adopt those same semantics, either by doing their implementation's equivalent of Stackless or by some other means? We can't even think about doing that without a clear and complete specification.

Personally, I don't see Stackless making it into 2.0 and possibly not 2.x. But I agree it is something to seriously consider for Py3K.

-Barry