[Python-Dev] Switch to MS VC++ 2005 ?!

[Alex Martelli]

On 2/27/06, M.-A. Lemburg <mal at egenix.com> wrote:
> Microsoft has recently released their express version of the Visual C++.
> Given that this version is free for everyone, wouldn't it make sense
> to ship Python 2.5 compiled with this version ?!
>
>     http://msdn.microsoft.com/vstudio/express/default.aspx
>
> I suppose this would make compiling extensions easier for people
> who don't have a standard VC++ .NET installed.

It would sure be nice for people like me with "occasional dabbler in
Windows" status, so, selfishly, I'd be all in favor.  However...:

What I hear from the rumor mill (not perhaps a reliable source) is a
bit discouraging about the stability of VS2005 (e.g. internal
rebellion at MS in which groups which need to ship a lot of code
pushed back against any attempt to make them use VS2005, and managed
to win the internal fight and stick with VS2003), but I don't know if
any such worry applies to something as simple as the mere compilation
of C code...

> Note: This is just a thought - I haven't looked into the consequences
> of building with VC8 yet, e.g. from the list of pre-requisites,
> it's possible that .NET 2.0 would become a requirement.

You mean, to RUN vc8-compiled Python?!  That would be perhaps the
first C compiler ever unable to produce "native", stand-alone code,
wouldn't it?


Alex