Python 3 is killing Python

[Terry Reedy]

On 8/6/2014 9:47 AM, beliavsky at aol.com.dmarc.invalid wrote:

> Fortran compiler vendors such as Intel, IBM, Oracle/SUN and open

*Vendors* sell compilers for money, which they can then use to *pay* 
people to do unfun stuff that volunteers don't want and should not have 
to do.

Actually, I am beginning to think that 2.7 should be split off for 3.x 
development and charged for.

> source projects such as gfortran are updating their compilers to the
> Fortran 2003 and 2008 standards while also keeping the ability to
> compile all the old Fortran code. FORTRAN 77 programmers and programs

According to https://gcc.gnu.org/fortran/ , gfortran is a standard 
Fortran 95 compiler with legacy (F77) support where practical and 
'significant' F2003 and F2008 support. Since it is free, one takes what 
one gets.

In multiple ways, Gfortran, as a whole, is significantly simpler to 
develop than Python. It is an alternate front end to the gcc compiler (a 
very smart decision).  The GNU projects distributes source code, which I 
presume consists of C code aimed at the GCC compiler.

> will not be forced to move to modern Fortran, but I'm not sure that
> Python 2.x users can be as confident that Python 2.x will be
> supported on future operating systems.

It will be for as long as 2.x users are willing to pay for support.

-- 
Terry Jan Reedy