[Python-Dev] Re: Stability and change (original) (raw)

Paul Hughett hughett@mercur.uphs.upenn.edu
Mon, 8 Apr 2002 19:10:30 -0400

Skip wrote:

I think an important question is what happens to the 2.2.x branch once 2.4.0 is released? Should it die (in the sense of never getting another micro release)? I think that would be a fair approach, otherwise you have an ever-increasing support burden, trying to handle more and more releases. Was there ever a huge clamor for 1.5.3? It seems that for many people the heavens opened and Gabriel descended with a 1.5.2 CD. ;-)

I'd agree with that in the abstract. But then I realize that I'm still writing for 1.5.2, estimate that it would probably take a month or two to update 10K lines of C extension code to 2.0, 2.1, and 2.2, realize that I just don't have the time, and cringe away from the whole idea.

My wish as an extension developer would be for Python to be stable for a year at a time, and then change to a new stable version that would last for another year. Then I could keep my extension code reasonably up to date by devoting one concentrated month per year. Maybe the problem is not as bad as I percieve it; but I can't afford the time to find out.

That's why I like the idea of separate stable and experimental tracks--the language evolution happens and I get the benefits, but I don't have to constantly keep up with it.

Paul Hughett