Lisandro Dalcin wrote:
> Stefan, could you please explain me what all we (we==Cython developers
> and users) will gain with this inclusion of Cython in Python's core?

I see a couple of advantages in general, and for us in particular.

1) Cython would become an official part of CPython, and shipped with the
standard Python distribution. This would open it to everyone who uses
Python, not only those who feel the need to do things in "C, but not quite
C", and look for a way to do so. Looking for a way to speed up your code?
"import Cython".

2) The integration of Cython with distutils would become better, as stock
distutils would be enabled to build Cython extensions without
monkey-patching and the like. The same applies to pyximport, which would
likely become part of the stdlib as well.

3) There would be a stable implementation of the Cython language as
shipped by the CPython standard library Version X.Y. This would allow
Cython users to target a specific language level, which (should I say it?)
is rather futile currently.

4) It would allow stdlib modules to be written in Cython, thus lowering
the entry level for stdlib contributors, and consequently broadening the
Cython user base. Classical win-win situation.

5) The Cython project would benefit from a broader set of contributors.
The CPython developers already show their incentives in writing Cython
code, and would likely start improving Cython for their own needs, simply
because it's so much easier to improve a code generator than to improve
your (or somebody else's) code in 139 places. As I already said elsewhere,
I consider the reduced maintenance cost through module portability over
CPython versions a pretty strong incentive, especially during the 2.6+ and
3.0+ life cycles.

6) Other Python implementations (Jython, IronPython, PyPy) could provide a
(partial) implementation of Cython's pure Python mode to support the
efficient execution of Cython implemented extension modules directly in
their runtime environment. They could do that now, but the incentive would
be much higher if it would allow them to copy stdlib modules over instead
of reimplementing them.

I bet I forgot some more, but I think the main theme is that Cython would
benefit from being "just there" and "ready-to-be-improved" when you
install Python.

Stefan

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