[Python-Dev] Compiler for the Mac OS X version of Python 3.4

[Raymond Hettinger]

On Sep 14, 2013, at 1:32 PM, Ned Deily <nad at acm.org> wrote:
>  The 
> most recent Developer Tools for 10.8 and 10.7 systems, Xcode 4.6.x, have 
> a mature clang but do not provide a 10.6 SDK.  Even with using an SDK, 
> it's still possible to end up inadvertently linking with the wrong 
> versions of system libraries.  We have been burned by that in the past.

I think we should offer a separate Mac build just for 10.6
(much like we do for the 32-bit PPC option for 10.5).

Otherwise, were trapped in an old world and using the same
reasoning as companies that still mandate Internet Explorer 6;
forgoing the benefits of newer browsers just to make sure
a few pieces of legacy code can be supported.

> 
> I'd like to move to Apple's latest clang, as well.  (Apple is dropping 
> gcc totally from the next release of Xcode.)  

That is an excellent reason for us to move as well.
Otherwise, we risk getting out of sync with the rest of the ecosystem.

> I've opened a bug tracker issue for this (Issue19019).

Thank you.

One thing that can be done is to take advantage of the 3.4 alphas
and betas to experiment with having both a legacy version and
fresh build with better tools.   That would let us find out early whether
the worries and fears are real and will manifest themselves in practice.

I've been building under GCC 4.8.1 for months and have encountered
no problems at all with the popular third-party modules or with linking
to existing SO files.


Raymond