[Python-Dev] Moving Python 2.7 [was: 3.5] on Windows to a new compiler

[Stephen J. Turnbull]

Brian Curtin writes:

 > Adding features into 3.x is already not enough of a carrot on the
 > stick for many users. Intentionally leaving 2.7 on a dead compiler is
 > like beating them with the stick.

No, it's like a New Year's resolution to stop self-flagellating, and
handing the whip to the users to use on themselves, or not, as they
choose.

Remember, the users *chose* to remain locked-in to 2.7, hoping that we
would continue to provide support, maybe 2.8.  They had alternatives:
contributing resources (in full-time developer support units!) to the
PSF earmarked for Python 2, porting their dependencies to Python 3,
etc.  All expensive, yes, but eventually they need to pay the price of
support or switching.  Staying with Python 2 was always a bet that
switching would be cheaper in the future, or that they'd have more
resources in the future, or both.  Who knows about the private
resources, but not only does Python 3 acquire more features steadily,
but efforts in core by folks like Ethan, distutils, and Nick (just to
name those I've followed personally), along with steadily and
expanding ports of 3rd party libraries, are quickly making switching
cheaper.

Cheap *enough*?  That's for the users themselves to decide.  So I'm
not arguing against support; this kind of support (*and* the people
who argue that it's worth doing, and then *do* it!) is one reason I
have *no* hesitation in recommending Python (3!) vs. any comparable
language.[1]  But whatever is decided here, we're doing it for pride
or for our own use, not because we owe the users anything.

Footnotes: 
[1]  I don't know enough about languages like Ruby or Perl to say
Python provides strictly better support.  I just can't imagine that it
gets better than this!