[Python-Dev] PEP 414

[Ezio Melotti]

> Hi Ezio,
>
> Am 02.03.2012 um 10:33 schrieb Ezio Melotti:
>> Reading this led me to think the following:
>> * 2.5 is now available basically everywhere, and it was released almost 5 years ago (Sep 2006);
>> * if it takes the same time for 3.3, it will be widespread after 4-5 years (i.e. 2016-2017) [0];
>> * if you want to target a Python 3 version that is widespread [1], you will want to support 3.1/3.2 too in the meanwhile;
>> * therefore you will have to use the hook on 3.1/3.2;
>> * in 2016-2017 you'll finally be able to drop 3.1/3.2 and use only 3.3 without hooks;
>> * in 2016-2017 you'll also stop maintaining the 2.x version (according to that quote);
>> * if you are not maintaining 2.x anymore, you won't need u'' -- right when you could finally stop using the hook;
> I don't think you can compare 2.5 and 3.2 like that. Although 3.2 is/will be shipped with some distributions, it never has, and never will have, the adoption of 2.5 that was "mainstream" for a quite long time.

But I don't think the adoption of 3.2 will affect the decisions that 
distros will take about 3.3.
Even in the unlikely case that e.g. Debian/RHEL make Python 3.3 
available as soon as it's released, not everyone will immediately upload 
to the latest Debian or RHEL version.
The point is that regardless the current Python 3 situation, it will 
take a few years before 3.3 will be widely available on most of the machine.

For example I work on a server where I have 3.1.  When/if it will be 
updated it will probably get 3.2, not 3.3 -- and this might happen in a 
couple of years.  If I want 3.3 I will probably have to wait another 
couple of years.  Other people might have to wait less time, others more.

> 3.3 is the IMHO the first 3.x release that brings really cool stuff to the table and might be the tipping point for people to start embracing Python 3 – despite the fact that Ubuntu LTS will alas ship 3.2 for the next 10 years. I hope for some half-official back port there. :)

I heard this about 3.1 and 3.2 too, and indeed they are both perfectly 
valid releases.  The fact that 3.3 is even cooler doesn't mean that 
3.1/3.2 are not cool.  (I'm perfectly fine with the aforementioned 
server and 3.1, and currently I don't miss anything that is new in 3.2/3.3.)

Best Regards,
Ezio Melotti