[Python-Dev] doc for new restricted execution design for Python (original) (raw)

Trent Mick trentm at activestate.com
Wed Jun 28 19:41:02 CEST 2006

Brett Cannon wrote:

The plan is to allow pure Python code to be embedded into web pages like JavaScript. ...

...Then again, Mark Hammond has already done a bunch of work for pyXPCOM, so getting Python compiled right into Firefox itself shouldn't be too bad.

If this really takes off, will probably want both: get into Firefox, but have an extension for pre-existing installations.

You should really speak with Mark, if you haven't recently. He's gotten a lot further than just PyXPCOM. My understanding (I might be a bit off on the branches and timing) is that his "DOM_AGNOSTIC" work on the Mozilla code has mostly been checked into the trunk. This work is to do mostly what you are describing: Python as a client-side scripting language along-side JavaScript.

I can't recall what Mozilla's distribution plans are for this. Certainly it wouldn't be before Firefox 3. Then again, default Firefox builds would like not include Python by default.

It sounds to me that a restricted-execution/security-model story for Python would be important here.

Mark (and me a little bit) has been sketching out creating a "Python for Mozilla/Firefox" extension for installing an embedded Python into an existing Firefox installation on the pyxpcom list:

http://aspn.activestate.com/ASPN/Mail/Message/pyxpcom/3167613

The idea is that there be a separate Python interpreter per web browser page instance.

I think there may be scaling issues there. JavaScript isn't doing that is it, do you know? As well, that doesn't seem like it would translate well to sharing execution between separate chrome windows in a non-browser XUL/Mozilla-based app.

Trent

-- Trent Mick trentm at activestate.com

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