[Python-Dev] 2.2.1 release mechanics

[Anthony Baxter]

>>> Guido van Rossum wrote
> Note that I was just in time checking in the backward compatibility
> bool(), True and False builtins (returning ints, of course).  If
> Anthony is listening, could I add those to 2.1.3 too?  This will ease
> backporting 2.3 code to 2.1.3 and 2.2.1.

I can't decide on whether this should go in 2.1.3 or not. On the
plus side, it's unlikely to break things. On the minus side, it is 
breaking the "contract"[*] about what goes into a minor release.

[*] where "contract" is between the python developers and the people
who install and use it. up until now, we've said 'minor releases are
bugfixes only' - changing this at the last minute before a release
feels a bit wrong, somehow.

Given the nature of the bug fixes in 2.1.3, I _really_ don't want to
give people _any_ fears that they might have backwards compatability
concerns to deal with. I can't see any way that adding bool/True/False
to 2.1.3 will break things, but it's a perceptions thing, I guess.  I
just want to see 2.1, 2.1.1 and 2.1.2 go away :)

Hm. At this point (well, at the point I got Guido's email), the 2.1.3
release is pretty much done but for
. make install on creosote.
. rename the file in ftp.python.org (it's called rc0 right now).
. pushing the 'hidden->active' button on sf.
. sending the email announcement.
If I'm going to add this, I'll need to recut the release. In any case,
I'm not going to do this right now (it's late) - I'll look at it first
thing tomorrow and try to decide then. I really _would_ like feedback,
though.

Anthony