Attending the Language Summit at PyCon
This article recounts the experience of attending the Language Summit, an internal conference held at PyCon, intended for core developers and individuals deeply involved in CPython development. The summit provides a forum for discussion and collaboration on the future of the Python language.
Arrival and Venue
The day begins early, with the Language Summit scheduled. The location is accessed through a glass corridor that, in previous years, had been quite hot due to sunlight. The convention center consists of two large sections. One section usually hosts the keynote, a large venue for many speakers. The other, currently under renovation, will host company exhibitions and the Grand Fair. After navigating registration with a long line, the speaker received their badge and took in the view of the river and bridges surrounding the convention center. The location is convenient, situated downtown near a gas station visited the previous day.
Misunderstanding About the Schedule
Initially, it was believed that only the Language Summit was scheduled for the day. However, it turned out there were also tutorials, which are paid, small courses typically lasting three hours. These tutorials cover various topics, from machine learning to comprehension, and offer focused learning opportunities.
Language Summit Session 1
The Language Summit is held in a room adorned with a turtle at the entrance. The summit is an internal event, and recording is prohibited to encourage open discussion. Key topics discussed included reducing breaking changes and addressing racing conditions. One memorable anecdote involves Guido van Rossum, who, unable to see the slides clearly, raised a chair and moved to the front of the podium like a student in school.
Coffee Break and News of Layoffs
During the coffee break, some concerning news was shared. The FASTER CPython team at Microsoft has been largely dismantled, leaving only a manager and one employee. The remaining team is expected to move to another team, and CPython's focus on speed is uncertain. The speaker notes that Microsoft, previously a major sponsor of CPython development, seems to be shifting its focus to AI. This echoes a previous situation with Google and raises concerns about the future of core Python development. Notably, Meta has a significant presence at the summit.
Language Summit Session 2: Lunch and Topic Discussions
Lunch consisted of salad, chips, a cake, and an orange. Despite the healthy options, the speaker joked about the biscuit's high caloric content. After lunch, the summit continued with discussions on several topics:
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PEP 703 (Free-spreading): Progress has been made in reducing the overhead of single-line performance, dropping from 40% to less than 10% since 3.14, but 3.14 is not a supported version yet.
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Addressing Racing: A new proposal involving an isolated program was introduced, though its implementation is expected to be a lengthy process.
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Steering Console (SC): The SC is facing a bottleneck due to a heavy workload and a limited number of members. Discussions centered around streamlining the PEP approval process.
Language Summit Session 3
Following a group photo, the afternoon session focused on the following topics:
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Documentation Console: The creation of a new organization to handle documentation and related work.
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Packaging Console: Discussions surrounding packaging and related tasks within CPython.
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Steering Console: The increasing number of requests and active contributors necessitates a flatter organizational structure and the creation of committees to address specific issues.
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Mobile Support: An update on the progress of Python support on Android and iOS. Both platforms are currently Tier 3, meaning they have some support but are not officially supported and do not have binary releases.
Encounter with Students and Evening Plans
The speaker encountered two Chinese students who had heard about a protest. The students were informed about the conference and encouraged to return during the more lively weekend sessions. The evening would conclude with dinner alongside core developers.
Final Talks and Lightning Round
The final talks of the day covered:
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Python and JavaScript interaction.
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Drawing a line with Rust.
A lightning talk session followed, featuring short, five-minute presentations. One interesting suggestion was adding the JavaScript question mark operator to Python.
Hotel and Dinner
The day concludes with a return to the hotel, a hamburger and fries dinner at a familiar restaurant. Discussions with colleagues and former colleagues confirmed the earlier news of layoffs within DevDiv, including the FASTER CPython team. The future direction of Python development remains a topic of concern. The next day is expected to be less engaging, with mostly tutorial and sponsor talks planned.