[Python-3000] Python 3.0a2 release

[Paul Moore]

On 20/11/2007, Christian Heimes <lists at cheimes.de> wrote:
> Paul Moore wrote:
> [snip]
> > I will help in addressing this issue, but I am limited in my ability
> > to do so, as I cannot build Python itself (that *does* need full VS
> > 2005/2008, as I understand it) and so all I have to go with is the
> > snapshot builds (which use VS 2003, and so don't help...)
> >
> > Paul.
>
> Have you tried to compile py3k with the express edition of VS 2008 Beta
> 2? I used the free express edition for my first experiments and it
> compiled Python 3.0 just fine. I moved to the standard edition to test
> some additional features like PGO and 64bit builds.
>
> I'm not sure but I strongly believe that the express edition is able to
> build 32bit builds of Python. As far as I know the express edition can't
> build PGO and 64bit builds. Please correct me if I'm wrong.

I will try (at some point). I believe I tried compiling Python 2.x
with VS 2005 Express at some point, and it failed. However, that was
some time ago, and I may be misremembering. I will see if I can try
again, and report back.

Clearly, if VS Express *does* compile Python - particularly if the
"official" build matches an Express version (not true for 2.x at the
moment, it will be for 3.0) - then my concerns go away.

> > PS To be honest, I'd like to see Python itself buildable with the free
> > MS tools, but I don't have time to work on that and so that's more of
> > a dream than a reasonable request to make :-)
>
> Isn't the express edition the successor of the free MS compiler suite?
> I've installed the free command line compiler in the past. It took quite
> some effort and I had to collect the pieces all over the internet
> because MS doesn't offer the old 7.1 compiler suite any more.

The biggest problem with 7.1 was that the free version (built from all
the pieces, as you say) doesn't support the project files used by the
commercial product. If the solution files in PCBuild8 and PCBuild9
work with the Express compilers, then that's the biggest hurdle I
encountered previously resolved.

Paul.