[Python-Dev] Python 3.4 and Windows XP: just 45 days until EOL

[Tim Golden]

On 12/07/2013 00:58, Christian Heimes wrote:
> Hi,
> 
> how do you feel about dropping Windows XP support for Python 3.4? It
> would enable us to use some features that are only available on Windows
> Vista and newer, for example http://bugs.python.org/issue6926 and
> http://bugs.python.org/issue1763 .
> 
> PEP 11 says:
>   A new feature release X.Y.0 will support all Windows releases
>   whose extended support phase is not yet expired.
> 
> For Python 3.4 is going to be a very close call. According to PEP 429
> 3.4.0 final is scheduled for February 22, 2014. The extended support
> phase of Windows XP ends merely 45 days later on April 8, 2014. Do we
> really have to restrict ourselves to an API that is going to become
> deprecated 45 days after the estimated release of 3.4.0?

I would like to continue support for WinXP. It's still widely, widely
used -- MS support notwithstanding. The situation might have been
different if Vista had been a viable corporate desktop, but I suspect
that many outfits have waited (as we did here) until Win7 before moving
forward. Win7 is now our default desktop for new machines, but we're
still running a slight majority of WinXP machines.

TJG