[Python-ideas] Possible Enhancement to py Launcher - set default

[Steve Barnes]

When a new version of python is in alpha/beta it is often desirable to 
have it installed for tests but remain on a previous version for day to 
day use.

However, currently the Windows py launcher defaults to the highest 
version that it finds, which means that unless you are very careful you 
will end up having to explicitly specify your older version every time 
that you start python with it once you have installed the newer version.

I an thinking that it would be relatively simple to expand the current 
launcher functionality to allow the user to set the default version to 
be used.

One possible syntax, echoing the way that versions are displayed with 
the -0 option would be to allow py -n.m* to set and store, either in the 
registry, environment variable or a configuration file, the desired 
default to be invoked by py or pyw.

Personally I thing that this would encourage more people to undertake 
testing of new candidate releases of python.

I would be interested in any feedback on the value that this might add.

-- 
Steve (Gadget) Barnes
Any opinions in this message are my personal opinions and do not reflect 
those of my employer.