[Python-Dev] why is not 64-bit installer the default download link for Windows?

[Paul Moore]

On 11 July 2018 at 06:39, Steven D'Aprano <steve at pearwood.info> wrote:
> On Wed, Jul 11, 2018 at 05:14:34AM +0300, Ivan Pozdeev via Python-Dev wrote:
>> On 11.07.2018 1:41, Victor Stinner wrote:
>> >2018-07-09 18:01 GMT+02:00 Steve Dower <steve.dower at python.org>:
>> >>The difficulty is that they *definitely* can use the 32-bit version, and
>> >>those few who are on older machines or older installs of Windows may not
>> >>understand why the link we provide didn't work for them.
>
> I think Steve's comment is right on the money.
>
> Although professional programmers should be a bit more technically
> competent than the average user, many are just hobbiest programmers, or
> school kids who are just as clueless as the average user since they
> *are* average users.

I'm perfectly happy for the default installer that you get from the
obvious first choice button (the one that says "Python 3.7.0") on the
"Downloads" drop-down to be the 32-bit installer[1]. But making people
who know they want the 64-bit installer click through "View the full
list of downloads" -> "Release 3.7.0", scroll down to the bottom of a
page that looks more like a release note if you just glance at the
top, and find "Windows x86-64 executable installer" is a bit much. And
the convoluted route is a nightmare for people like me to explain when
I'm trying to tell people who I know should be getting the 64-bit
version, how to do so.

Which is why I'd like to see a bit more choice on that initial
dropdown. Just a second button for the 64-bit version is enough - for
the full lists the set of links to the left of the dropdown is fine.

Paul

[1] Although I strongly dislike the fact that there's no indication at
all in that dropdown that what you're getting *is* the 32 bit version,
short of hovering over the link and knowing the naming convention of
the installers :-(.