On Oct 01, 2012, at 02:44 PM, Antoine Pitrou wrote:
"5 years" was once recorded in the 2.7 release page: http://mail.python.org/pipermail/python-list/2010-April/573621.html
... although it isn't anymore: “Python 2.7 is scheduled to be the last major version in the 2.x series before it moves into an extended maintenance period.” http://www.python.org/download/releases/2.7/
Benjamin is the 2.7 release manager (good choice on his part ;-)), and on this thread he seems to be of the advice that 5 years is the number.
Perhaps we can relax the 2.7 bugfix policy a bit: bugfix releases are made for 5 years, but core developers are free not to port minor bugfixes if they want to save up some time.
I think we should make a formal commitment to 2.7's lifespan, whatever that would be. When discussions about Python 2's ultimate demise come up, we should be able to point to the PEP for the official declaration, since once Python 2.7 maintenance ends, so does effectively Python 2's lifespan.
the-champagne-is-cooling-as-we-speak-ly y'rs, -Barry