[Python-Dev] Re: Stability and change

[Anthony Baxter]

>>> Guido van Rossum wrote
> The testing is a problem, but if we can test 2.3 on platform X, it
> shouldn't be too hard to test 2.1.3 there, too.

In theory, yes. But in practice we get patches in the tracker that
say "this makes the current python build on platform xyz, version N.M".
Rarely will the person who contributed the patch also help with porting
it to a different version of python, and equally rare is an explanation
of _why_ the patch works. All that is left is to examine the patch, 
consult the chicken entrails, and hope.

Anthony