[Python-3000] After 2.6 should be 3.0

[Guido van Rossum]

On 4/19/06, Edward C. Jones <edcjones at comcast.net> wrote:
> I would like to see Python 3.0 before the turn of the next millennium. I
> suggest that Python 2.6 be devoted to implementing some of the backward
> compatible changes for Python 3.0. In particular, do the long-overdue
> reorganization of the libraries. After 2.6 should be 3.0.

The proposed schedule (see PEP 3000) puts 3.0 somewhere in 2008. With
2.5 planned for July/August this year, and releases about 18 months
apart, 2.6 should be out in early 2008, so you may get the relative
timing you're asking for.

BUT... I am proposing to do at least 2.7 and possibly 2.8 and 2.9
after that (but no more). The transition to 3.0 will be difficult for
people with large code bases and strict reliability requirements --
some enterprise users that I know will need to do at least 6 months of
testing before they are comfortable with a transition. (Google is
slower, in case you thought that's a cloaked reference to Google. :-)

And probably 2.6 will be too early to "backport" 3.0 features except
for some that mature very early in the 3.0 cycle. 2.7 seems a more
likely target.

--
--Guido van Rossum (home page: http://www.python.org/~guido/)