[Python-Dev] Python 2.7 EOL date

[Terry Reedy]

On 8/23/2018 2:53 PM, Collin Anderson wrote:
> Hi All,
> 
> Sorry if this has been mentioned before, but I noticed the Python 2.7 
> EOL date was recently set to Jan 1st, 2020.
> 
> My understanding was Python releases get 5 years of support from their 
> initial release,

'5' is a rounded, rather than exact, figure.

  and Python 2.7 was extended an additional 5 years.
> 
> Python 2.7 was originally released on 2010-07-03, and with an original 
> EOL of 2015-07-03. Extended 5 years, shouldn't the EOL be 2020-07-03?

Think of it this way.  In April 2015, after almost 5 years, support was 
extended for about 5 years, (primarily for build and security issues) to 
sometime in 2020, left intentionally vague.  Based on more information, 
we recently specified the first day in 2020.  Backporting of normal 
bugfixes is already very selective, and the selectivity may increase.

> Also, this statement is a little unclear to me:
> 
>  > Specifically, 2.7 will receive bugfix support until January 1, 2020. 
> All 2.7 development work will cease in 2020.
> 
> This statement makes it sound like bugfixes end on Jan 1st, but seems to 
> leave open the possibility that security fixes could continue through 
> the year.

I agree that it is not clear that we actually meant 'final release on or 
soon after 2020 Jan 1".  In other words, no substantive patches of any 
kind after that date.


-- 
Terry Jan Reedy