[Python-Dev] RE: how to kill process on Windows started with os.spawn?

[Skip Montanaro]

    >> Shouldn't one of these solutions (or some variant) appear under the
    >> veneer of os.kill()?  I realize the semantics might not be exactly
    >> the same

    Mark> The key difference is that kill() wants a PID, while
    Mark> TerminateProcess wants a handle.

Posix.kill() wants a pid. Can't os.kill() want anything it wants?  ;-) In
particular, can't it test its arguments to see if it got a handle or a pid
then "Do The Right Thing" (tm Spike Lee I think)?  I guess I'm lobbying for
os.kill() or something like it (os.retire()?) to be the terminator for
os.spawn*, regardless what those functions return.  It seems weird to be
able to create processes on various platforms but not be able to kill them
as well.

For the python-dev types not on the spambayes list, I do have an application
in mind.  In my environment I need to tunnel SB's pop3proxy app through an
ssh connection.  Starting and stopping it works okay on my MacOSX system,
and I presume it will under other Unix-based systems.  I began thinking
about whether this would port to other platforms and noticed that os.kill()
is only supported under Unix.  It may turn out that my desire is moot if ssh
can't be run under Windows anyway.

Skip