[Tutor] Your thoughts on using Python 2.4.x?

[Alan Gauld]

On 19/12/12 03:54, boB Stepp wrote:

> systems. Now after the upgrades some machines now have Python 2.4.4
> and others Python 2.4.6. For the purposes of creating/manipulating
> text files and running Solaris-flavored Unix commands, is there
> anything I should be specially aware of?

The major versions of Python tend to be very good at backward 
compatibility. Obviously if you use new features not supported
in 2.4 they won't work (although some might if you 'import future')
Check the 'Whats new' file for each version between 2.4 and 2.7 to see 
what you should avoid.

But I still have Python 1.5 programs that run happily under 2.6
(I don't have 2.7 installed yet) and the vast majority of code I write 
on a daily basis will work on any version post 2.2.

> in my Python studies with version 3.x up to this point. I understand
> that there are differences between 2.x versus 3.x such as print
> statements versus print functions, etc.

Yes, there is a big jump between v2.x and v3.x. Not massive, but more 
than in previous versions.

> BTW, does 2.4.x come with Tkinter standard?

Yes, Tkinter has been part of the standard library since at least v1.3 
(when I started using python! :-)

> probably could get permission to upgrade, but only if I could
> demonstrate a compelling need, which at this time I would deem highly
> unlikely.

On our servers at work we are still on Python 2.3. We do not officially 
support Python  (we officially use Ruby(v?) and Perl(v4) for scripting)
so the version hasn't been updated in years. It's quite common in 
corporate environments, and many places have a policy of always staying 
1 or 2 versions behind the bleeding edge.


-- 
Alan G
Author of the Learn to Program web site
http://www.alan-g.me.uk/