The looming Python 3(000) monster

[Jon Ciesla]

>
> We're just now dealing with Python 2.6, but over on the radar is perhaps
> one of the most incompatible upgrades to the language we've seen in
> Python 3.  I personally haven't tried it yet, but it /aims/ to be
> incompatble, which is perhaps one of the most glaring signs a language
> designer has lost it that I've seen.
>
> http://docs.python.org/3.0/whatsnew/3.0.html
>
> This isn't a huge problem to those who are only developing on the latest
> Fedora, per-se (other than getting over the initial hump), but it's
> pretty bad for someone who wants to keep a single codebase across EL 4
> (Python 2.3) and up, which I think a lot of us do.   That gets to be
> darn impossible and we have to double our involvement with code because
> we essentially have to maintain a differently-compatible fork for each
> project.
>
> (NOTE: this requires the viewpoint that not everyone care just about the
> latest Fedora, which might be controversial... but to me, the latest
> Fedora is what I'll run as my dev environment but not everyone can
> upgrade -- and many folks are also running EL and EPEL deserves our full
> support and consideration)
>
> So, what of plans?
>
> Are we looking at also carrying on with packaging 2.N indefinitely when
> we do decide to carry 3, because as I know it, the code changes to make
> something Python 3 compatible will be severe and that's a big item for
> any release, and will probably result in some undiscovered bugs even
> after the initial ports (if applied).
>
> I haven't seen /anything/ regarding a compatibility mode for
> /usr/bin/python, and I'd hate to have to develop a non-core library that
> allows for functions that work the same way on both versions and use
> that instead.  That would be heinous.
>
> Short of porting everything over to Ruby, oCaml, or
> enterprise-Fortran.NET#4000, any ideas on planning for this?

Well, this:

http://docs.python.org/3.0/library/2to3.html#to3-reference

should be helpful.  The work being done on 2.6 now is an excellent first
step.

Other than that, I think we'll have to treat it like any other major
change, such as gcc-4.3, etc.

It's gonna hurt, and obviously we'll need a compat-python26, but I think
we'll be able to port things over, and have them either use Python3k or
compat- as needed.  Not sure when we'd be completely cut over, but I'd
love to see 2.6 the default in F11, which I believe is the plan, and Py3k
in the not too distant future*, F12.

> --Michael
>
> --
> fedora-devel-list mailing list
> fedora-devel-list at redhat.com
> https://www.redhat.com/mailman/listinfo/fedora-devel-list
>

* or maybe next Sunday A.D. :)

-- 
in your fear, speak only peace
in your fear, speak only love

-d. bowie