[Python-3000] Does anyone remember the Red Hat 1.5->2.x fiasco?

[Guido van Rossum]

On Feb 4, 2008 5:52 AM,  <skip at pobox.com> wrote:
> This discussion of what to install Python 3.0 as reminded me that we've
> already encountered this problem before.  As I recall, when Python 2.0 was
> released Red Hat steadfastly refused to ship it with their then current
> version of Linux.  It wasn't until the next RH product came out that they
> shipped Python 2.x, and then the executable was called (I think) python2.
>
> I no longer remember the details very well, but I wonder if there's
> a lesson to be learned from that experience as we decide how to install
> Python 3.0.

IMO the lesson to be learned is that that was a bad idea -- other
vendors have not followed suit. It also gave Python a bad name because
for years, typing "python" on Red Hat systems gave you an ancient
version.

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