Confusion about python versions

[Ned Batchelder]

On 10/27/13 2:13 PM, Aseem Bansal wrote:
> Python 2.7.6 release candidate 1 and 3.3.3 release candidate 1 was released yesterday. Also Python 3.4.0 alpha 4 was released a week ago.
>
> I thought as Python 3.4.0 alpha was released 3.3 branch was done. The 3.3.3 release candidate fixes many bugs as per the changelog so would they be included in 3.4.0?
>
> For how long do the older versions get supported in case of Python? Do bugfix releases for older versions keeps on happening even when new branch is released? Isn't that a lot of work to manage so many versions?
>
> How do the Python versions work? For how long is Python 2 going to be supported?

They're also preparing 2.6.9.  Older versions get supported for a long 
time, not sure of the official schedule.  2.7.x will be supported for 
even longer, since it's the last of the 2.x series.

Python takes backward compatibility and long-term support seriously.

--Ned.