[Python-Dev] Re: Stability and change

[Paul Hughett]

Skip wrote:

> I think an important question is what happens to the 2.2.x branch once
> 2.4.0 is released?  Should it die (in the sense of *never* getting
> another micro release)?  I think that would be a fair approach,
> otherwise you have an ever-increasing support burden, trying to handle
> more and more releases.  Was there ever a huge clamor for 1.5.3?  It
> seems that for many people the heavens opened and Gabriel descended
> with a 1.5.2 CD. ;-)

I'd agree with that in the abstract.  But then I realize that I'm
still writing for 1.5.2, estimate that it would probably take a month
or two to update 10K lines of C extension code to 2.0, 2.1, and 2.2,
realize that I just don't have the time, and cringe away from the
whole idea.

My wish as an extension developer would be for Python to be stable for
a year at a time, and then change to a new stable version that would
last for another year.  Then I could keep my extension code reasonably
up to date by devoting one concentrated month per year.  Maybe the
problem is not as bad as I percieve it; but I can't afford the time to
find out.

That's why I like the idea of separate stable and experimental
tracks--the language evolution happens and I get the benefits, but I
don't have to constantly keep up with it.


Paul Hughett