[Numpy-discussion] Proposal of timeline for dropping Python 2.7 support

[Sebastian Berg]

On Wed, 2017-11-08 at 18:15 +0100, Ilhan Polat wrote:
> I was about to send the same thing. I think this matter became a
> vim/emacs issue and Py2 supporters won't take any arguments anymore.
> But if Instagram can do it, it means that legacy code argument is a
> matter of will but not a technicality. https://thenewstack.io/instagr
> am-makes-smooth-move-python-3/
> 
> Also people are really going out of their ways such as Tauthon https:
> //github.com/naftaliharris/tauthon to stay with Python2. To be
> honest, I'm convinced that this is a sentimental debate after seeing
> this fork.
> 
> 

In my opinion it is fine for us to drop support for python 2 in master
relatively soon (as proposed here).
But I guess we will need to a "LTS" release which means some extra
maintenance burden until 2020.
I could hope those who really need it jumping in to carry some of that
(and by 2020 my guess is if anyone still wants to support it longer, we
won't stop you, but I doubt the current core devs, at least not me,
would be very interested in it).

So in my opinion, the current NumPy is excellent and very stable,
anyone who needs fancy new stuff likely also wants other fancy new
stuff so will soon have to use python 3 anyway.... Which means, if we
think the extra burden of a "LTS" is lower then the current hassle,
lets do it :).
Also downstream seems only half a reason to me, since downstream
normally supports much outdated versions anyway?

- Sebastian


> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> On Wed, Nov 8, 2017 at 5:50 PM, Peter Cock <p.j.a.cock at googlemail.com
> > wrote:
> > On Tue, Nov 7, 2017 at 11:40 PM, Nathaniel Smith <njs at pobox.com>
> > wrote:
> > >
> > > <snip>
> > >
> > > Right now, the decision in front of us is what to tell people who
> > ask about
> > > numpy's py2 support plans, so that they can make their own plans.
> > Given what
> > > we know right now, I don't think we should promise to keep
> > support past
> > > 2018. If we get there and the situation's changed, and there's
> > both desire
> > > and means to extend support we can revisit that. But's better to
> > > under-promise and possibly over-deliver, instead of promising to
> > support py2
> > > until after it becomes a millstone around our necks and then
> > realizing we
> > > haven't warned anyone and are stuck supporting it another year
> > beyond
> > > that...
> > >
> > > -n
> > 
> > NumPy (and to a lesser extent SciPy) is in a tough position being
> > at the
> > bottom of many scientific Python programming stacks. Whenever you
> > drop Python 2 support is going to upset someone.
> > 
> > It is too ambitious to pledge to drop support for Python 2.7 no
> > later than
> > 2020, coinciding with the Python development team’s timeline for
> > dropping
> > support for Python 2.7?
> > 
> > If that looks doable, NumPy could sign up to http://www.python3stat
> > ement.org/
> > 
> > Regards,
> > 
> > Peter
> > _______________________________________________
> > NumPy-Discussion mailing list
> > NumPy-Discussion at python.org
> > https://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/numpy-discussion
> > 
> 
> _______________________________________________
> NumPy-Discussion mailing list
> NumPy-Discussion at python.org
> https://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/numpy-discussion
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: signature.asc
Type: application/pgp-signature
Size: 801 bytes
Desc: This is a digitally signed message part
URL: <http://mail.python.org/pipermail/numpy-discussion/attachments/20171108/e20331b5/attachment-0001.sig>