ANNOUNCE: A Python 2.1 release candidate!

[Guido van Rossum]

Python 2.1 is almost ready.  We've built a release candidate -- a
version that should become the final version, barring any last-minute
showstopper bugs (which will of course be fixed before releasing the
final version).  Thanks to all who helped!

Please download the release candidate and use it on your favorite
platform.  For more info:

    http://www.python.org/2.1/

There's not much new since 2.1b2: we mostly fixed bugs and added
documentation.  Some things that *did* change visibly:

  - Ping added an interactive help browser to pydoc. (Very cool!  Try it!)

  - Eric Raymond extended the pstats module with a simple interactive
    statistics browser, invoked when the module is run as a script.

  - An updated python-mode.el version 4.0 which integrates Ken
    Manheimer's pdbtrack.el.  This makes debugging Python code via pdb
    much nicer in XEmacs and Emacs.  When stepping through your program
    with pdb, in either the shell window or the *Python* window, the
    source file and line will be tracked by an arrow.

  - After a public outcry, assignment to __debug__ is no longer illegal;
    instead, a warning is issued.  It will become illegal in 2.2.

  - New port: SCO Unixware 7, by Billy G. Allie.

  - Updated the RISCOS port.

We expect to release the final version on Tuesday morning, April 17.

Enjoy!

--Guido van Rossum (home page: http://www.python.org/~guido/)