Why Python3

[Dino Viehland]

Terry wrote:
>  > IronPython targets Python 2.6.
> 
> They plan to release a 2.7 version sometime this year after CPython2.7
> is released. They plan to release a 3.2 version early next year, soon
> after CPython. They should be able to do that because they already have
> a 3.1 version mostly done (but will not release it as such) and 3.2 has
> no new syntax, so the 3.1 development version will easily morph into a
> 3.2 release version. I forget just where I read this, but here is a
> public article.
> http://www.itworld.com/development/104506/python-3-and-ironpython
>   Cameron Laird, Python/IronPython developer '''
> As Jimmy Schementi, a Program Manager with Microsoft, e-mailed me last
> week, "IronPython's roadmap over the next year includes compatibility
> with Python 3. Also, we're planning on a release ... before our first
> 3.2-compatible release which will target 2.7 compatibility."

Close but not 100% correct - we do plan to release 2.7 sometime this year
but 3.2 is going to be sometime next year, not early, I would guess EOY.  
I guess Jimmy misspoke a little there but the "2.7 this year 3.2 next year"
plan is what I said during my PyCon State of IronPython talk and it hasn't
changed yet.

Also we have only a few 3.x features implemented (enabled w/ a -X:Python30 
option since 2.6) instead of having a different build for 3.x.  Running 
with that option isn't likely to run any real 3.x code though but it gives
people a chance to test out a few new features.  Of course implementing 2.7
also gets us much closer to 3.x then we are today w/ all its backports so 
we are certainly making progress.