[EVALUATION] - E02 - Support for MinGW Open Source Compiler

[Tim Peters]

[Ilias Lazaridis]
...
> Let's see:
>
> The process would be:
>
> a) A Python Foundation official states: "of course we accept diversity
> and of course we are intrested that our source-code-base compiles
> directly with MinGW (and other compilers)".

Well, I'm a Director of the Python Software Foundation, and my view is
"the more platforms the merrier".  But I'm not paid to work on Python,
and I don't have time to volunteer to help MinGW along, so I don't
anticipate that I'll do anything here beyond writing this reply.

I think you're mistaken about the role the PSF plays here.  For
example, the PSF does no development work on Python -- all work on
Python comes from volunteers, and the PSF can't tell anyone what to
do.  The PSF did start a grant program last year, and a proposal to
fund MinGW-for-Python development would certainly be considered.  But
that too requires that someone volunteer to write such a proposal, and
take their chances on getting a grant.  Those chances are,
unfortunately, not good, since even in the program's first year we got
proposals requesting funding vastly exceeding the US$40K we could
afford to spend.

That leaves volunteers, or a company that wants what you want enough
to pay for it on their own (which has happened, but not often -- I
don't think it's happened since Zope Corp funded development of the
datetime module).

> b) the pyMinGW developer states: "I am intrested that my patches are
> included within the main python source code base" [of course this
> contribution would deserve to be mentioned somewhere]
>
> c) One part of the Python Community states: "look those loosers, like to
> use MinGW toolkit - pah! I'll continue to use my super-optimizing, xx%
> faster results, less hassle Microsoft-Compiler"
>
> d) One part of the Python Community states: "I'm very happy that my
> toolset of choice gets official support, to which I can contribute as a
> community member"
>
> e) there is no point e. People start simply to cooperate, thus python's
> evolution is ensured.

Sorry, I didn't grasp the point of b thru e.

> ... 
> Good night to all.

Likewise!