[Python-Dev] The other Py2.4 issue

["Martin v. Löwis"]

Armin Rigo wrote:
> Hum, this is getting into a Linux-vs-Windows argument.  I don't want to invest
> time and money on Windows tools just to compile my extension module for
> Windows users...

If you don't have Windows at all, you cannot create Windows installers
for your users, anyway.

If you do have Windows, but you normally don't use it for software
development (so you have no copy of MSVC), you have to invest money,
indeed. You don't have to invest time - atleast not as much time
as you need to invest finding out how these alternative compilers work.

However, for free software, things work quite differently, anyway:
if you (as a package author) don't have the time and money to create
a Windows package, tell your users that you won't create one. Instead,
ask for a volunteer to create a package for you. If your package has
a large Windows user community, somebody will have the money, and they
will find the time if the build process is as simple as bdist_wininst.

If none of your users volunteers to do the build for you, I would stop
worrying about the Windows users.

Regards,
Martin