[Python-Dev] [RELEASED] Python 2.7 alpha 2

David Lyon david.lyon at preisshare.net
Wed Jan 13 00:20:54 CET 2010


> Nick wrote:
>>> This has nothing to do with pushing 3.x, but all with managing
>>> available manpower and still providing quality software.
>>
>> Python 3.x needs more carrots.
>
> As Guido has said a few times, the gains are far greater for *new*
> Python developers than they are for existing ones.

Well both you and Guido are most likely 100% correct. :-)

> They don't have as rich a 3rd party ecosystem
> on Python 3 as they would on Python 2.x at this point in time, but
> unlike existing developers they also have the luxury of cherry-picking
> just those packages that already have Python 3 support.

Most likely. I wouldn't want to say anything to discourage
people from going to python 3. In other languages, I have
much experience of making the jump to 'a whole new world'.

It's unsettling at first, but after that, you suddenly
find the new model has a better turbo than the last and
you're at the next corner faster than you can think. So
it's all good.

But I still maintain Python 3.0 needs more carrots. For example,
if mercurial or any other cool lib gets added to python 3 (and
I can name a few that should go in python 3) then they should
be added to python 3 and not to python 2.x

They would serve as good carrots.

Make fresh the python 3 stdlib and preserve the python 2.x stdlib.

I really think we are somewhat short on resources to do
what Guido has asked about bringing python up to CPAN level
with respect to packages.

We're starting a long way back with horses and swords and
trying to catch a well fed and greased modern machine..

I'm sure we can get a modern package testbot operational
for python.

But I wish those who were complaining about the packaging
problem so much could throw some money at the problem
instead of moaning about it. As is done on other open-source
projects. Some organisation would be beneficial.

Finding funds so that a small group of people could
work on the problem would be a great boost to forward
progress. I just think python packaging needs six
months of that to repair the years and years of neglect
and stagnation. Even if it is only beer and bus fare
money. It just needs a temporary shot of adrenalin in
the arm.. so to speak..

Regards

David












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