[Idle-dev] IDLE and Jython

[Guido van Rossum]

> Is there going to be any effort put into making this python 1.5.2
> compatible?

I don't have the time to test this.  I'm not using heavy-duty 2.0
features like Unicode, but the occasional += may slip in.  Once this
is checked into the 2.1 CVS tree though, I'll gladly accept patches to
make it 1.5.2 compatible.

> I would very much like to use IDLE, but the installed base on
> 1.5.2 is quite large,

So here's your reason to switch!

> and 2.0 leaks memory which makes it unsuitable for
> long-running processes.

I resent this unsubstantiated claim.  I am not aware of any serious
memory leaks in 2.0, and AFAIK none have been reported.  (There have
been some reports but they wouldn't affect a typical IDLE session.)

> (and the licensing concerns with 2.0 are
> unpleasant. (please pardon my ignorance if this has already been
> resolved!))

It hasn't been resolved, but it will be soon -- there is a basic
agreement between FSF and CNRI, which will be implemented hopefully in
the coming weeks.  (But unless you are intending to combine 2.0 with
GPL'ed software, you have nothing to worry about the existing 2.0
license.)

--Guido van Rossum (home page: http://www.python.org/~guido/)