[Python-Dev] Text about cycle GC

[Guido van Rossum]

> Won't we have a clear picture by the end of the beta period?

Not clear.  Unfortunately, few people who run important apps will
download a beta and try it.  But they *will* download a new release
labeled "final" and install it without making sure it works for their
app.  This has been my experience throughout Python's life.  I've
become pretty conservative about staying backwards compatible as a
result...

> > The "optional experimental feature" label is good and IMO it complies
> > with anybody's expectations. Interested people will jump in and will
> > eventually contribute with improvements, those who don't care won't
> > and will live happily without it (at least until the day the feature
> > and its implementation reach their expected maturity).
> 
> A million Window users will live unhappily without it because they don't
> know how to recompile to get it!

This can be solved the way we solve everything for Windows users: give
them two distributions to choose from -- or maybe one distribution
with a checkbox to choose which version to use.

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