Rite C API

ruby-talk
1

hi everyone,

What I mean is, for the Ruby language itself, I think you will make
effort
so that the Ruby API is backward compatible in the future releases.
What
about the RUBY C API? Are you going to make effort so that they are
backward compatible too?

and matz answered:

The future Ruby (Rite) will not have compatible C API, but I plan to
provide the compatibility layer if possible.

this is the only reference to this question i could dig up. i’m just
curious
as to whether this situation has changed at all in the past couple of
years
since the message was posted, and whether Rite has progressed to the
point
where there is actually an api already laid out or even implemented?
i’m thinking
about doing a pretty big project with Ruby that involves C extensions,
and i’m wondering
if the api gets pulled out from under me if the changes i’d have to make
would be relatively minor or if a major rewrite would be in order.

thanks,
_c

···

In message 45991, “Re: Segmentation Fault - Ruby Garbage Collection” on 02/08/01, William Djaja Tjokroaminata billtj@y.glue.umd.edu writes:

2

Hello ccos,

Monday, March 22, 2004, 11:50:25 AM, you wrote:

this is the only reference to this question i could dig up. i'm just
curious
as to whether this situation has changed at all in the past couple of
years
since the message was posted, and whether Rite has progressed to the
point
where there is actually an api already laid out or even implemented?
i'm thinking
about doing a pretty big project with Ruby that involves C extensions,
and i'm wondering
if the api gets pulled out from under me if the changes i'd have to make
would be relatively minor or if a major rewrite would be in order.

Rite is still pure Vapourware. So it may still take years to see the
first beta. Who knows what happens to Vapourware in years ?

But i think the API won't change to much. Simply because ruby depends
on it heavily and rewriting the complete ruby core is far beyond the
amount of free time that matz have.

···

--
Best regards,
Lothar mailto:mailinglists@scriptolutions.com

3

Hi –

···

On Mon, 22 Mar 2004, Lothar Scholz wrote:

Hello ccos,

Monday, March 22, 2004, 11:50:25 AM, you wrote:

this is the only reference to this question i could dig up. i’m just
curious
as to whether this situation has changed at all in the past couple of
years
since the message was posted, and whether Rite has progressed to the
point
where there is actually an api already laid out or even implemented?
i’m thinking
about doing a pretty big project with Ruby that involves C extensions,
and i’m wondering
if the api gets pulled out from under me if the changes i’d have to make
would be relatively minor or if a major rewrite would be in order.

Rite is still pure Vapourware. So it may still take years to see the
first beta. Who knows what happens to Vapourware in years ?

But i think the API won’t change to much. Simply because ruby depends
on it heavily and rewriting the complete ruby core is far beyond the
amount of free time that matz have.

Matz describes Rite as “a full rewrite of the interpreter”, so
theoretically anything might be open for change. Also, I believe that
developing Ruby is part of what Matz does professionally. Not that
there aren’t still limits to his time :slight_smile: but I think it’s not just
a matter of free time in the usual sense.

David

–
David A. Black
dblack@wobblini.net