[Python-Dev] Moving Python 3.5 on Windows to a new compiler

[Steve Dower]

Chris Angelico wrote:
> On Sat, Jun 7, 2014 at 1:41 AM, Steve Dower <Steve.Dower at microsoft.com> wrote:
>> What this means for Python is that C extensions for Python 3.5 and later can be built using any version of MSVC from 14.0 and later.
>
> Oh, if only this had been available for 2.7!! Actually... this means that 14.0 would be a good target for a compiler change for 2.7.x, if such a change is ever acceptable.

Maybe, but I doubt it will ever be acceptable :)

> To what extent is this compatibility going to be maintained? Is there a guarantee that there'll be X versions (or X years) of cross-compilation support?

There are a few breaking changes in this version that are designed to standardize on a function-call based ABI, which should effectively be a life-long guarantee.

The only promise I can make is this: when cross-compilation support is eventually broken, it will be due to something that nobody has been able to predict up until now. (Hopefully that's better than promising that it will be broken in the very next release.)

> ChrisA