[Python-Dev] Common runtime sociology (original) (raw)

Tim Peters tim.one@home.com
Wed, 8 Aug 2001 23:08:56 -0400

[Paul Prescod]

It is my gut feeling that the only way to get to a common runtime (if it is possible at all) is to take the development out of the hands of any language group and put it in a trusted third party's hands.

Na. There are two ways it can happen:

  1. A well-funded project with this as one of its primary goals.

  2. Any sort of project, funded or not, whose lead(s) is(are) obsessed with making it happen.

#1 may be close to MS .NET's approach, proving in part that the "common" in "common runtime" is still a matter of manipulable definition . Put in many hands, it's the Industry Consortia model, famous for producing large publicity/result ratios.

If it's just an afterthought, or a "nice to have", or even a "it's one of the last things we'll give up -- but, ya, in the end it's expendable", it really has slim chance of surviving the difficulties.

#2 is the best shot. Alas, few people can decide to become an insane visionary and make it stick .

craziness-is-a-gift-from-the-gods-ly y'rs - tim