[Python-Dev] Why is Python for Windows compiled with MSVC?

[Stefan Ring]

> As much as Steve is unlikely to do the work to initiate and
> maintain support of these other tools—whether due to his employer's
> interests or his own—I too was unlikely to do work like this thread is
> asking. In fact, the chances I would have done it were zero because I was
> sitting on my couch upgrading our Visual Studio versions because it let me
> do better stuff at my day job, though I was always open to review patches
> that supported alternatives without major disruption. However, they never
> came. I suspect the same could be said of Martin and anyone else working in
> this area prior to that, because nothing has really changed.

It would be cool though if Microsoft started providing a
cross-compiler running on Linux. This could even be the only compiler
shipped with Visual Studio, now that Windows can run Linux userland.
Cross-compilers from Microsoft would not be totally unheard of. IIRC,
the last DOS versions (Visual C++ 1.5x) were Win32 binaries building
for DOS 16 bit. Technically speaking, using a 32 bit compiler for
building for 64 bit Windows or the other way around would probably
count as cross-compilation anyway.