3.11 Future Possibilities?

Although this chapter reflects current practice, much of it has been both platform- and time-specific. Indeed, many of the execution and launch details presented arose between this book's first and second editions. As for program execution, it's not impossible that new program launch options may arise over time.

New operating systems, and new versions of them, may also provide execution techniques beyond those outlined here. In general, because Python keeps pace with such changes, you should be able to launch it in whatever way makes sense for the machines you use, both now and in the future—be that drawing on tablet PCs or PDAs, grabbing icons in a virtual reality, or shouting a script's name over your coworkers' conversations.

Implementation changes may also impact launch schemes somewhat (e.g., a full compiler could produce normal executables, launched much like frozen binaries today). If we knew what the future truly held, though, we would probably be talking to a stock broker instead of writing these words.