(Python newbie) Using XP-SP2/MSVC6: No Python24_d.lib, winzip barfs on Python-2.4.1.tar, cannot download bzip2

[A.B., Khalid]

Okay, let me have another stap at this.

As you have probably noticed MSVC6 is no longer actively supported as
far as Python 2.4 goes. The official distribution of Python 2.4 for
Windows is built using MSVC7.1 (or whatever you wish to call it).

We are told that building C extensions with MSVC6 for use in the
official Python 2.4 (which uses the MSVCR71) is not safe, and mixing
the different runtime libraries that your extension (or my extension)
with that which official Python 2.4 uses will/might cause crashes.
Google around for details on this.

So, what to do? You seem to have four options.

1. Get and use the MSVC7.1 compiler.
2. Get and use the freely distributed MS compiler.
3. Download the Python source[1] and compile it yourself in MSVC6
(there are project files in the source to enable you to do that). Then
use your MSVC6 to create the extension.
4. Get and use MinGW and pyMinGW[2]




Regards,
Khalid




[1] Check to see if your archiever tool is working, or get the source
from CVS.

[2] pyMinGW:
http://jove.prohosting.com/iwave/ipython/pyMinGW.html