[Pythonmac-SIG] Mac OS X Python 2.2a4 Bug (_not_ Mac Python)

[Jonathan Wight]

Hey,

I've downloaded and compiled the latest version of ('Unix') Python (2.2a4)
on a Mac OS X 10.1 (5G64) and have discovered a rather serious bug.

Basically you cannot have more than one version of Python running at any
time. Try it. From Terminal.app you can launch one copy but when launching
the second you get a Bus Error. Every time.

I'm seeing this with 2.2a4 on a PowerMac G4 and with 2.2a3 on a Powerbook G4
both with 5G64.

I've tried compiling Python without the carbon libraries (--without-xxx-yyy)
and that didn't help matters much (the odd thing is that it allowed me to
run 2 instances without crashing - but the 3rd killed it).

Also - if you login to Mac OS X via the console it is impossible to launch
an interactive Python session (and probably impossible to just launch
oneshot scripts too). When I try I get the following console errors:

KCGErrorFailure: CGSNewConnection cannot connect to server
KCGErrorFailure: CGSNewConnection cannot connect to server
KCGErrorInvalidConnection: CGSGetEventPort: Invalid connection

Which look to me like Core Graphics errors. Why should a command line Python
(compiled without the carbon cruft) need access to the Core Graphics Server.

Something REALLY strange is going on...

I'd really like to see Python for Mac OS X (not Jack's Mac Python) be a pure
unix implementation of Python with any Mac specific stuff in shared
libraries. I would have assumed this would have been the case but it doesn't
look like it is.

Cheers for any insight on the matter.

    Jon.