[Python-Dev] is this a bug? no environment variables

["Martin v. Löwis"]

> I have read some about side-by-side assemblies but had considered them a
> good reason to stick with the outdated M$VC 6.0 compiler, which doesn't
> seem to need to create them, and their myriad requirements, which seem
> far from necessary for simply compiling a program.  I was disappointed
> to realize that Python was heading down the path of using the newer
> tools that create side-by-side assemblies, but I suppose using an old
> and crufty compiler like M$VC 6.0 cannot support some of the newer
> features of Windows, which may seem to be necessary to some.... like
> 64-bit support, which does seem necessary, even to me.

The rationale for moving along with the releases is different, though:
you cannot obtain the old versions anymore, except perhaps on Ebay.
So new developers coming to Python would not be able to build Python
extensions if we didn't always try to use a compiler that is still
available (and we are stressing that a little bit: 3.2 will use
VS 2008, even though it has been already superceded).

In any case, VS 2010 will stop using SxS for the CRT.

Regards,
Martin