[Jython-users] ANN: First alpha release of Jython-2.1

[<bc...@wo...>]

I am happy to announce the first alpha release of Jython 2.1.

Jython is a Java implementation of the Python programming
language.  It allows users to compile Python source code to
Java byte codes, and run the resulting bytecodes on any Java
Virtual Machine.  It is a very seamless and smooth
integration with Java:  from Python you have complete access
to all Java libraries, can build applets, can integrate with
Java beans, and can subclass Java classes in Python and vice
versa.  Like Python, and unlike Java, Jython can also be
used interactively:  just type some Jython code at the
prompt and see the results immediately.

A java installer is available for download at the Jython website:

    http://www.jython.org/

Installation of version 2.1a1 is similar to version 2.0. Further 
information and tips on installation is available at:

    http://www.jython.org/install.html

Jython 2.1 aims to be feature compatible with Python 2.1 and among
the new feature are:

  - Nested scopes
  - The warning framework
  - Rich comparison
  - The numeric coercion model have changed.
  - Function attributes.

The changes from Jython-2.0 include:

  New features.
   - Improve speed when indexing a string and iterating over a string
     in a for loop.
   - Reworked coercing model (pep-0208)
   - Added {}.popitem().
   - Improved speed for python files by buffering the RandomAccessFile.
   - Added function attributes (pep-0232)
   - Rich comparison (pep-0207)
   - Updated cPickle to handle CPython compatible unicode strings.
   - Updated sre to CPython-2.1a1
   - Added the "new" module
   - Added a PyServlet class to the util package.
   - Warning framework (pep-0230).
   - Added sys.add_classdir and sys.add_extdir.
   - Added nested scope to the interpreter (pep-0227).

  Bug fixes.
   - Allow self referencing adapters to be collected when using weak
     tables.
   - Added workaround for a reader bug in MRJ22Jitc.01.
   - Fixes #127340 where serializable parameter received a PyObject
     instead of the wrapped java object.
   - Include a LineNumberTable in the compiled class files.
   - Fixed a java version test bug in the installer.

A complete list of changes and differences are available here:

  http://www.jython.org/NEWS.html

Bugs can be reported to the bug manager on SourceForge:

  http://sourceforge.net/bugs/?group_id=12867

Cheers,
the jython-developers