Updating a package on PyPi, testing and etiquette

[Ben Finney]

Rob Gaddi <rgaddi at technologyhighland.invalid> writes:

> A) Is there any easy way to test against an older version of Python?

The convention today is to use Tox for testing one code base using
multiple Python impleemntations, in a single test run.

    <URL:https://pypi.python.org/pypi/tox>

> Preferably without trying to install entire old environments and keep 
> them nicely isolated from my actual doing work?

That's what Python virtualenv functionality is for, and Tox makes good
use of it. This is well-trod ground.

> B) If I can't manage that, what's the etiquette behind having later
> versions of a module break compatibility with older versions of
> Python.

Consult your user community, tell them the issue (maintaining obsolete
Python versions is a lot of effort), and incrementally drop support with
subsequent versions. Give your user community a chance to upgrade their
stuff, but also don't take on an unreasonable burden. Involve them in
the process.

-- 
 \     “Don't be misled by the enormous flow of money into bad defacto |
  `\    standards for unsophisticated buyers using poor adaptations of |
_o__)                                     incomplete ideas.” —Alan Kay |
Ben Finney