[Python-3000] Python 3.0a2 release

[Paul Moore]

On 20/11/2007, Amaury Forgeot d'Arc <amauryfa at gmail.com> wrote:
> Am I missing something? Should we lift the restrictions we impose on
> compilers of extension modules? Can we carefully design the Python API
> to accept different compilers/runtime?

I have done similar experiments in the past. There is no formal
definition of where issues may exist, and I have never encountered a
crash in my experiments. However, the "official position" (to whatever
extent there can be an "official" position in a volunteer open source
project) is that the same CRT must be used.

One thing is needed, regardless - distutils must be taught the
appropriate details for any build tools which are supported (for
Python 2.5, this is MSVC 7.1 and mingw). That, I guess, constitutes
the "official" position.

Personally, I don't have a problem, as long as there is a way to build
with free tools and *not* get told "that's not supported, tough" if
problems should arise.

I believe Martin has always been the strongest advocate of the "CRT
must match exactly" position (apologies, Martin, if I've
misremembered). Maybe he could comment.

Paul.