[Python-Dev] MS VC 7 offer

["Martin v. Löwis"]

Brian Quinlan wrote:
> To get me wrong; I think that moving to VC7 for Python 2.3 would be
> mistake if VC6 compiled extension modules are not binary compatible. My
> understanding was that static libraries are not compatible but that
> dynamic ones are. I spent a few minutes with google but wasn't able to
> find out.

Please rest assured that they are definitely incompatible. People have
been trying to combine VC7 extension modules with VC6, and got 
consistent crashes. The crashes occur as you pass FILE* across 
libraries: Neither C library can deal with FILE* (such as stdout)
received from the other library.

> 1. 3rd party extension developers will have to switch very quickly to be
> 
>    ready for the 2.3 release

True.

> 2. Some 3rd party extension developers may have already released 
>    binaries for Python 2.3, based on the understanding that there won't 
>    be any additional API changes after the first beta (baring a 
>    disaster). 

There won't be any. That's any ABI change.

> 3. I believe that the installer normally preserves site-packages when
>    doing an upgrade? If so, the user is going to be left with extension
>    modules that won't work.

Users installing betas should still expect such things. Uninstallation
before upgrading to the final release is strongly advised.

Regards,
Martin