[Python-Dev] Python 2.7 patch levels turning two digit

[Barry Warsaw]

On Jun 23, 2014, at 05:28 PM, Donald Stufft wrote:

>Can you clarify?

What support guarantees will we make about Python 2.8?  Will it be supported
as long as Python 2.7?  Longer?  Will we now have two long-term support
versions or change *years* of expectations that users should transition off of
Python 2.7 onto Python 2.8?  Will all the LTS policies for 2.7 (e.g. PEP 466)
be retired for 2.7 and/or adopted completely into 2.8?

What should Linux distros do?  Should they support both 2.7 and 2.8 or begin
the long and potentially arduous process of certifying and transitioning to
2.8?  What about other operating systems and package managers, including
commercial redistributors?

Who is going to do the work to make sure patch are forward ported from 2.7 to
2.8?  Who is going to be the 2.8 release manager?  Will they be strong enough
to reject any and all new features that wouldn't have already made it into 2.7
(due to the already approved, narrow exemptions)?  Or will we open the flood
gates to Just One More Little New Feature To Make It Easier To Port to Python
3?

How will we manage the PR surrounding our backtracking on Python 2.8?  How
will we manage expectations that it's only released to support a new Windows
compiler?  Should non-Windows users just ignore it (much like the Python 1.6
releases were mostly ignored)?

How do you know which tools, workflows, and processes that will break with a
Python 2.8 release?  What assumptions about 2.7 being EOL for Python 2 are
baked into the ecosystems outside of core Python?

I could probably go on, but I'm exhausted.

-Barry
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