[Python-Dev] VS 2010 compiler

[Steve Dower]

On 25Sep2015 0824, Chris Barker - NOAA Federal wrote:
> As I understand it, the MS VS2010 compiler is required (or at least
> best practice) for compiling Python extensions for the python.org
> Windows builds of py 3.4 and ?[1]
>
> However, MS now makes it very hard (impossible?) to download VS2010
> Express ( or Community, or whatever the free as in beer version is
> called).

This is the main motivation for moving to VS 2015 for Python 3.5. See 
https://docs.python.org/3.5/using/windows.html#compiling-python-on-windows 
(same link as [1] with the version changed) and also 
https://docs.python.org/3.5/whatsnew/3.5.html

> I realize that this is not python-dev's responsibility, but if there
> is any way to either document where it can be found, or put a bit of
> pressure on MS to make it available, as they have for VS2008 and
> py2.7, that would be great.

I've applied that pressure already and it's not going to happen :(

The best "solution" is to move to Py 3.5 asap. If you're writing an 
extension and are being careful, you can use a later compiler to build 
for 3.4 with Py_LIMITED_API set and a lot of care (did I mention you 
need to be careful? It's not just FILE* that will break...).

Cheers,
Steve

> Sorry to bug this list, I didn't know where else to reach out to.
>
> -Chris
>
> [1] it's actually prefer hard to find out which compiler version is
> used for which python version. And has been for years. Would a patch
> to the docs, probably here:
>
> https://docs.python.org/3.4/using/windows.html#compiling-python-on-windows
>
> Be considered?