[Python-Dev] [RELEASED] Python 3.4.0b2

[Bob Hanson]

On Sun, 05 Jan 2014 13:20:50 -0800, Larry Hastings wrote:

> On behalf of the Python development team, I'm pleased to announce
> the second beta release of Python 3.4.

Thanks, Larry and all the devs, your hard work is appreciated.

However, why does this new version look like adware or other
malware when installing?

This is the first time I ever installed a version of Python which
caused something called "MSIEXEC.EXE" to try to access some
commercial dot-com site.

Naturally, my firewall stopped it, but what's going on? 

(A "command prompt" Windows box opened, followed by my firewall
firing off a set of warnings about having blocked attempted
unauthorized outbound connections to blah-blah-blah-dot-com.) 

When I attempted to run the python interpreter it appeared to
open normally, but I haven't tried doing anything with it.

If this has to do with "ensure_pip" or whatever it's called,
perhaps some other solution is called for which is more
user-friendly and not as likely to incite unease and mistrust by
attempting to silently access a commercial site while Python is
installing. At the very least a warning seems to be called for
(possibly along with an opt-out). Also, a more friendly site
(python.org?) to connect to would help to restore some faith.

If it *is* about the pip thing, I can only imagine the
frustration of Window users: Having to reconfigure firewalls to
(properly?) upgrade Python, or ignoring the firewall-warning
"glitch" assuming it's okay. Or, possibly, a silent failure of
"something" if they're firewalled with warnings turned off?

If it's not pip, what is it?

Finally, is my install now broken? Are offline installs now not
possible. Does one now need an always-on internet connection to
use Python?

Thanks --

Bob Hanson

-- 
Snowden reveals that George Orwell was an extreme optimist.