[Tutor] Change to Python 2.4?

[Kent Johnson]

Jacob S. wrote:
> Hi everybody!
> 
>     How hard would it be to change to python 2.4? I have a lot of added
> things in my site-packages. I DO NOT want to keep two versions of python on
> my system due to the import problems, etc. 

I don't think you will have import problems, the new version installs 
into a separate directory and has its own lib folder.

Could I just copy my
> site-packages over to the new python 2.4 folder?

Here is a thread on comp.lang.python that gives a pretty good answer to 
this:
http://tinyurl.com/6eqzm

Short answer:
- any packages containing .pyd or .dll files, you need a new version
- it's a good opportunity to look for more recent versions and install them.

I just took a look at how many of my site-packages directories have .pyd 
files in them and decided *not* to copy my whole site-packages.

  Also, is there a list of
> new things in python 2.4? 

New versions of Python come with a very handy "What's New" document. The 
current one can be found at
http://www.python.org/dev/doc/devel/whatsnew/whatsnew24.html

I have seen enough on this list to know that it
> would be advantageous for me to download it. Is it completely backwards
> compatible? IOW, if I change out the interpreters, will all of my current
> scripts written for 2.3 work for 2.4?

See the "Porting to Python 2.4" section of the "What's New" doc. The 
incompatibilities are pretty obscure. Python developers put a high value 
on backward compatibility.

Kent

  It wouldn't be too much of a bother if
> it isn't. Um... Let's see... That's it.
> 
> Thanks in advance,
> Jacob Schmidt
> 
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