RELEASED Python 2.4, alpha 1

["Martin v. Löwis"]

Mike C. Fletcher wrote:
> IMO it's not really a "minor" issue for Windows.  It means that (in the
> interim) extension developers need to have both VS6 and VS.NET (2003)
> installed to build for < 2.4 and >=2.4.  That's fine (after all, there's
> a free VS.Net version compatible with the new Python IIRC), and I'm all
> for it, but I'd actually consider it a fairly major new feature for a
> platform where previously there's been no freely-available C/C++
> compiler compatible with the current Python build.  (Well, save with
> some serious hacking about).

I don't think anybody has demonstrated yet that you can actually build
extensions with the Microsoft compiler that is free of charge.

OTOH, the situation with respect to other compilers hasn't changed
much: You can build extension modules with mingw32 now roughly as
easily as you can with earlier Python releases.

Of course, the change is still important for people who build
extension modules on Windows: For all practical purposes, they need
a different Microsoft compiler now.

However, I still maintain that other changes (e.g. PEP 237) will
affect way more people.

Regards,
Martin