[Python-Dev] 2.3.1 windows binaries

[Tim Peters]

[Thomas Heller]
> For the 2.3.1 Windows binaries, I've followed the instructions in
> PCBuild\readme.txt and downloaded the sources for the additional
> packages. I have
>
>   bzip2-1.0.2.tar.gz
>   db-4.1.25.NC.zip
>   tcl843-src.zip
>   tk843-src.zip
>   openssl-0.9.7b.tar.gz
>
> and zlib-1.1.4.
>
> All these versions are exactly those the readme file mentions, with
> the exception of openssl. Quote from the PCBuild\readme.txt:
>
>     Get the latest source code for OpenSSL from
>         http://www.openssl.org
>
>     You (probably) don't want the "engine" code.  For example, get
>         openssl-0.9.6g.tar.gz
>     not
>         openssl-engine-0.9.6g.tar.gz
>
>     Unpack into the "dist" directory, retaining the folder name from
>     the archive - for example, the latest stable OpenSSL will install
>         as dist/openssl-0.9.6g
>
>     You can (theoretically) use any version of OpenSSL you like - the
>     build process will automatically select the latest version.
>
> Is it important to use the same openssl version that Python 2.3.0
> used, or is the readme file correct in saying that the latest version
> is the one to use?

Nobody knows, because nobody (AFAIK) has ever tried building the Windows
Python with an OpenSSL release other than the one mentioned in README.txt.
Try it and see whether it works?  That would be a happier suggestion if the
Python test suite exercised more of the SSL code.

> And does this have to be mentioned somewhere (Misc/NEWS, the readme
> file for windows)?

PCbuild\readme.txt in a given release is intended to describe exactly how
that release was built, in detail sufficient so that someone other than the
person who built the release stands a good chance of reproducing the whole
bit.

I've also added a NEWS entry when moving to a different release of any of
the 3rd-party packages.  That's just full disclosure <wink>.