The Incredible Growth of Python (stackoverflow.blog)
Stephan Houben
stephanh42 at gmail.com.invalid
Tue Sep 12 08:55:55 EDT 2017
Op 2017-09-12, Tim Golden schreef <mail at timgolden.me.uk>:
> I agree. Except for the unusual case where someone's mistakenly chosen
> to use, eg, Python 2.4 because they're using an old text book which
> mentions it as the current version, most people are using the version
> which suits them for one reason or another.
If it is not clear from the original post that they are consciously
using an old version, I will often try to politely suggest they use the
latest version (i.e. "If there is no particular reason for you to use
Python 1.5.2, may I suggest that you use 3.6 instead?").
The reason is that:
* On many operating systems, just typing "python" will give you
Python2.7 at best (e.g. macOS!). And the OP may not be aware that
there are more recent versions.
* In businesses, it is especially common to run on some RHEL version
$ANCIENT; not so long ago I had a machine where typing "python"
presented me with Python 2.3!
I agree that *badgering* them about it (as opposed to suggesting it
*once*) is a bad idea.
> And, if I may put my 2.5p-worth in here, they're probably using the
> operating system which suits them. (Maybe because their employer has
> said so, or because they're familiar or whatever). So saying, as people
> occasionally do, "Upgrade to Linux", even with half-a-wink, is not
> really that funny or helpful.
It's not really the same, though.
Changing the OS is a big undertaking and affects all their programs,
just installing version 3.6 of Python as a private user shouldn't affect
anything else. You can install python in your home directory on your
ancient RHEL box and leave the system Python happily at 2.3.
I nowadays typically never bother with the system Python for my own
development and just install a recent version of my choice locally. It
saves a lot of headaches. The system Python is there to run system
programs.
Stephan
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