.. include:: crossreferences.asc Relevance to the Objectives of the IST Priority ----------------------------------------------- Supporting Participation ++++++++++++++++++++++++ The PyPy project will connect expert researchers, programmers and users at all levels at all times. On the social level we will explore and refine new cooperative ways of researching and implementing advanced highly involved technologies. Building on the large communication network of opensource programmers we will explore and refine agile methodologies. We believe that our new **fluid networked way of rapid software development presents a new paradigm how people can work together**. This is an efficient countermeasure to the perceived European "weak culture of transferring and exploiting university research results" (SWOT table from 'IST Advisory Group: Software technologies, embedded systems and distributed systems: A European strategy towards an Ambient Intelligent environment'). Python as a language "for everybody" ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ The European industry as well as many developers are not interested in yet another new language. Instead our project will produce an extremely flexible and performing development platform around the Python programming language. Much anecdotal, and some empirical, evidence suggests that Python is one of the easiest programming languages to learn and is one of the languages in which one can code up a given algorithm the fastest. For these reasons, it is **particularly popular among those people whose main competence lies beyond computer science and for whom programming is a secondary activity**, that is to say almost everyone in the information industry. Using Python itself to develop an innovative Python implementation will allow many people to understand the platform and reuse it in their context. Understanding, teaching and adapting our Python implementation will be much easier than almost any other language implementation. A development platform suited for tomorrow's European industry ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ The EU is interested in **software technologies that are reliable, pervasive, interoperable and can be adapted to accommodate new applications and services**. This is exactly the focus of our project. With some unique approaches to building a highly performing and productive development platform we will further innovation and interoperability. We will build an extensible Python implementation that can be adapted and configured for almost all runtime environments. It will go far beyond the state of the Art in computer languages, and produce a runtime system which is much better suited for the development and deployment of networked, embedded, and mobile devices than any existing language available today. In doing so it will be compliant with the Python language specification requiring no re-training for the tens of thousands of European Python programmers. To dramatically expand the scope of an already very productive development environment can only have a positive effect on European competitiveness. PyPy builds on the most successful language designed in Europe ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Python is the most widely used European-designed computer language. Its development started in 1990, at CWI, Centrum voor Wiskunde en Informatica, the National Research Institute for Mathematics and Computer Science in the Netherlands, it will strengthen our leadership in the area of innovative language design, and increase world-wide awareness of this fact. We can even do our bit to reverse the brain-drain, as talented European language designers will no longer have to move to North America to be involved in language projects which have more than academic interest. We believe that PyPy presents a **unique opportunity to bring considerable market- and mind share with respect to development tools and environments back to Europe**. The many individuals and companies involved with the project are deeply entangled with the opensource community and businesses. Python and PyPy in particular provide a viable alternative to American closed source language monopolies, while increasing innovation and competitiveness in European businesses and industry and thus contributing to the greater well-being of all European citizens. Working with the strong opensource community to overcome the European weakness with development platforms obviously builds on the strategies as outlined in the SWOT-analysis by the IST workgroup. solving 'trust and confidence' problems +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ The IST thematic priority will contribute directly to realizing European policies for the knowledge society as agreed at the Lisbon Council of 2000, the Stockholm Council of 2001, the Seville Council of 2002, and as reflected in the e-Europe Action Plan. A main target of IST in FP6 is:: solving 'trust and confidence' problems so as to improve dependability of technologies, infrastructures and applications. PyPy will contribute to this goal because it is build on the strength of the Open Source community. Open Source programs are more widely trusted than proprietary alternatives because they are more transparent, accessible and customizable. Especially in large Open Source projects all parts of the program are under permanent scrutiny of many interested developers. Because we are deeply connected with the large Python community we are confident that PyPy can take full advantage of this open culture. Moreover, Python is an extremely readable language. Readability was and remains one of its main design goals. This makes maintaining Python programs substantially easier than similar program in less readable languages. It is the maintainability of computer programs which most directly effects their actual and perceived reliability and encourages intelligent usage. In our view development platforms should not be proprietary but should **empower the user** to get involved and provide appropriate extensions suiting commercial and research needs. Thus rather than 'trusting the manufacturer because you have no choice' you can 'trust yourself'. This second form of trust is far more durable and useful. Strengthening social cohesion +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Social cohesion is strengthened when technological advances are no longer the exclusive domain of a technological or commercial elite, but readily accessible by all members of society. The best way to achieve such a goal is to have the participation of all members of society in the design and implementation of new technological advances. In the field of software, this means more than simply providing programs which are easy to use -- it also means providing languages which are easier for people for whom programming is a secondary activity. - enabling sustainable growth and improving competitiveness both of large and small businesses as well as the efficiency and transparency of governments. Governments have been embracing Open Source for some time now. To the extent that they will demand programs developed in an Open Source Language, for reasons of transparency, reliability, and national security they will benefit from the existence of PyPy as an Open Source language choice. Participation of SME's in high-level research +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ The consortium includes the Python Business Forum, an international trade association of SMEs who develop using the Python programming language. Since SMEs are the main engines for innovation, growth, and competitiveness in the IT sector, by supporting these SMEs, and improving the language they use to develop one can directly have a positive effect on competitiveness. Moreover, synergies can be developed between the SMEs and academia, and SME and large industrial players. Disseminating knowledge to these SMEs is a primary goal of this proposal, and a major focus of our efforts. They are poised to fully exploit the new language implementation because they will be among its developers, and beneficiaries of a focused effort in knowledge dissemination. Contribution to EC Policies ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ There will be transfer of knowledge from research to industry through the participation of software developing SMEs. Thus the SMEs in the project will benefit from the cutting-edge, high level research results. Since the SMEs are in a hurry to commercialise products which use this research, the academics will see that their research is not wasted -- locked into tiny languages which have little effect outside of the academic community. A specialising Just in Time Compiler for Python, designed for the use of networked and embedded systems will have immediate effect in reinforcing European dominance in this demanding competitive field, and thus contribute to the employment of people in desirable jobs in a rapidly growing field.