[Python-ideas] Update the required C compiler for Windows to a supported version.

[M.-A. Lemburg]

Hi Steve,

On 27.11.2013 19:24, Steve Dower wrote:
> Stephen J. Turnbull wrote:
>> Vernon D. Cole writes:
>>
>>> I cannot compile a Python extension module with any Microsoft compiler
>>> I can obtain.
>>
>> Your pain is understood, but it's not simple to address it. 
> 
> FWIW, I'm working on making the compiler easily obtainable. The VS 2008 link that was posted is unofficial, and could theoretically disappear at any time (I'm not in control of that), but the Windows SDK for Windows 7 and .NET 3.5 SP1 (http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=3138) should be around for as long as Windows 7 is supported. The correct compiler (VC9) is included in this SDK, but unfortunately does not install the vcvarsall.bat file that distutils expects. (Though it's pretty simple to add one that will switch on %1 and call the correct vcvars(86|64|...).bat.)
> 
> The SDK needed for Python 3.3 and 3.4 (VC10) is even worse - there are many files missing. I'm hoping we'll be able to set up some sort of downloadable package/tool that will fix this. While we'd obviously love to move CPython onto our latest compilers, it's simply not possible (for good reason). Python 3.4 is presumably locked to VC10, but hopefully 3.5 will be able to use whichever version is current when that decision is made.

I would expect that Python is not the only OSS tool that requires to
use the same compiler version for extensions as the one used to compile
the main application.

With Microsoft opening up towards OSS software, wouldn't it be better
to keep the express versions available officially for a much longer
period or allow 3rd parties to host the express ISOs ?

If there's anything the Python Software Foundation could do to help
with this, please let me know.

Thanks,
-- 
Marc-Andre Lemburg
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