[4suite] Re: [XML-SIG] Python 1.5 support with PyXML 0.6.2/4Suite0.9.2

[Uche Ogbuji]

Alexandre Fayolle wrote:
> 
> On Fri, 17 Nov 2000, Uche Ogbuji wrote:
> 
> > Exactly.  Let's hear from those whom this would affect.  Possibly
> > there's no problem.  My personal feelings are that if character
> > conversions are a big need, it should make it all the more urgent to
> > migrate to Python 2.0.
> 
> I may be completely missing the point, if so please correct me.
> 
> I'm fully aware of what unicode can bring in terms of internationalisation
> of a software product, especially since I live in a place where 8bits
> character encoding is quite common. However switching to Python 2 right
> now seems difficult:
> 
>  * a huge number of people are using redhat 6.x distros, and upgrading to
> python2.0 on such a box is not a trivial task.
>  * as it has been pointed out before, there are binary compatibility
> issues with some utility libraries (programs will still run under linux,
> but Win32 platforms will fail completely)
> 
> It is important that people providing base libraries (such as 4Suite or
> PyXML) do the move first, since people putting up application depend on
> these libraries. But I feel that completely abandonning 1.5.2 support now
> is too early, because most library providers still don't have make the
> step, and since the vast majority of users is still dazzled by the 1.6/2.0
> conflicts and may be having problems upgrading to Python 2.0 due to
> distribution problems or local administration policies.

OK, so all together now.  How hard would it be to continue updating
PyXML 0.5.5.x with bug fixes and new features in all other areas of the
package?

I'm going back and forth on this one.  I guess it's because I'm still
neutral.  However, given that Red Hat will not be moving to Python 2.0
until Red Hat 8.0, which could be a year away, and given Alexandre's
comments, we'll most likely be maintaining Python 1.5.2 support for a
while yet in 4Suite.

The questions then is: what about PyXML?

To be fair to those such as Andrew and Martin who clearly want to move
on, is there someone who still relies on Python 1.5.2 that could
volunteer to maintain a 1.5.2-friendly version of PyXML?


-- 
Uche Ogbuji                               Principal Consultant
uche.ogbuji@fourthought.com               +1 303 583 9900 x 101
Fourthought, Inc.                         http://Fourthought.com 
4735 East Walnut St, Ste. C, Boulder, CO 80301-2537, USA
Software-engineering, knowledge-management, XML, CORBA, Linux, Python