[Pythonmac-SIG] Python 3.2rc1 available: new 10.6 IDLE and tkinter options

[Ned Deily]

The first release candidate of Python 3.2 is now available.  As with 
Python 2.7.1, two variants of Mac OS X installers are available for this 
release:  the traditional 32-bit-only installer that works on all 
machines supported by Mac OS X 10.3.9 through current 10.6.x ; and a new 
64-bit/32-bit installer for OS X 10.6.x systems.

Besides the operating system versions supported, one big difference 
between the two is in the versions of Tcl/Tk supported by IDLE and any 
other programs that use tkinter, the Tk GUI toolkit included in the 
Python standard library.  As in previous releases, the 32-bit-only 
installer will use the Apple-supplied TK 8.4 available in OS X 10.4, 
10.4, and 10.6, or, if installed, will use ActiveState Tk 8.4 (part of 
ActiveTcl).

Up until recently including at 2.7.1 release, the only standard 
available 64-bit-capable Aqua Tk version was the Cocoa Aqua 8.5 version 
shipped by Apple in OS X 10.6; however that has proven to be problematic 
when used with IDLE and other tkinter apps.  Recently, ActiveState has 
made available a newer version of Cocoa Aqua Tk (as of this writing, 
8.5.9) which seems to have solved  nearly all of the IDLE problems that 
have been reported when using Apple Tk 8.5.  The Python 3.2rc1 
64-/32-bit installer is the first python.org installer that supports 
using the new ActiveState 8.5.  It will still fall back to the Apple 
version but IDLE will issue a warning in that case. 

Which variant should you use?  For 10.5 and earlier, you can only use 
the 32-bit version.  If you are on 10.6 and want the simplest 
out-of-the-box experience, you may want to stick with the traditional 
32-bit-only installer.  Also, if you need to build applications (for 
example, with py2app) that need to also run on older OS X systems, you 
should use this version.   If you really do need 64-capabilities or if 
you would like to try out the improved GUI capabilities in Tk 8.5 and 
are willing and able to install the ActiveState Tcl/Tk 8.5, then you 
should consider installing the new variant.  If you need to use IDLE or 
tkinter but cannot install the ActiveState Tk 8.5, you should not use 
the 64-/32-bit variant with 10.6 at this time (10.6.6).

In either case, your testing and feedback is needed!  Please try out 
either or both versions and report any issues as soon as possible to the 
python bug tracker, http://bugs.python.org, as the final release of 3.2 
is less than a month away.

http://www.python.org/download/releases/3.2/

Also, along with the release is a new web page attempt at consolidating 
information about supported Python, Mac OS X, and Tcl/Tk releases.  It 
will be evolving up to and beyond the release.  Your comments (via the 
bug tracker) on it are also encouraged.

http://www.python.org/download/mac/tcltk/

Thanks!

In article 
<4D329F55.9040903__48319.5588960827$1295195369$gmane$org at python.org>,
 Georg Brandl <georg at python.org> wrote:
> On behalf of the Python development team, I'm very happy to announce the
> first release candidate of Python 3.2.
> 
> Python 3.2 is a continuation of the efforts to improve and stabilize the
> Python 3.x line.  Since the final release of Python 2.7, the 2.x line
> will only receive bugfixes, and new features are developed for 3.x only.
> 
> Since PEP 3003, the Moratorium on Language Changes, is in effect, there
> are no changes in Python's syntax and built-in types in Python 3.2.
> Development efforts concentrated on the standard library and support for
> porting code to Python 3.  Highlights are:
> 
> * numerous improvements to the unittest module
> * PEP 3147, support for .pyc repository directories
> * PEP 3149, support for version tagged dynamic libraries
> * PEP 3148, a new futures library for concurrent programming
> * PEP 384, a stable ABI for extension modules
> * PEP 391, dictionary-based logging configuration
> * an overhauled GIL implementation that reduces contention
> * an extended email package that handles bytes messages
> * a much improved ssl module with support for SSL contexts and certificate
>   hostname matching
> * a sysconfig module to access configuration information
> * additions to the shutil module, among them archive file support
> * many enhancements to configparser, among them mapping protocol support
> * improvements to pdb, the Python debugger
> * countless fixes regarding bytes/string issues; among them full support
>   for a bytes environment (filenames, environment variables)
> * many consistency and behavior fixes for numeric operations
> 
> For a more extensive list of changes in 3.2, see
> 
>     http://docs.python.org/3.2/whatsnew/3.2.html
> 
> To download Python 3.2 visit:
> 
>     http://www.python.org/download/releases/3.2/
> 
> Please consider trying Python 3.2 with your code and reporting any bugs
> you may notice to:
> 
>     http://bugs.python.org/
> 
> 
> Enjoy!
> 
> - --
> Georg Brandl, Release Manager
> georg at python.org
> (on behalf of the entire python-dev team and 3.2's contributors)

-- 
 Ned Deily,
 nad at acm.org