Creating C modules for Python under Cygwin

[Mark Hammond]

Martin v. Löwis wrote:
> Alex Martelli <aleax at aleax.it> writes:
> 
> 
>>That has nothing to do with the DLL - vs - EXE choice, as far as I can
>>see, and everything to do with the choice of NAME for the executable
>>module you package Python's functionality into.  If you named the EXE
>>PYTHON22.EXE and so on, you'd be "forcing extensions module" just as
>>much; vice versa, if you named the DLL PYTHON.DLL you would not be
>>forcing those modules to commit.  It's not about the extension:-),
>>it's about the filename.
> 
> 
> Right. However, I believe that the DLL name contains the Python
> version so that multiple simultaneous Python installations are
> possible, especially when the Python DLL is put into the system
> directory.

Exactly.  And the DLL is in the system directory so arbitary processes 
can use Python (ie, COM).

So it is simply a trade-off with pros and cons.  In some ways you could 
see it as the competing interests of "Python extenders" versus "Python 
programmers".  For the casual Python programmer, allowing multiple 
Python versions, and indeed allowing arbitary COM objects to use 
arbitary Python versions is a good thing.  For the Python extender, 
having one extension module that works everywhere would be a dream.

Now if all those lazy, good for nothing extension authors would just get 
off their fat arses and release versions for every Python version in use 
the instant they are released, there would not be a problem <wink>

Mark.