[Bf-committers] solving the issues of switching to python 2.4 on Os X for next release

[Stephen Swaney]

On Thu, Aug 25, 2005 at 04:23:42PM -0300, Willian Padovani Germano wrote:

> But then we need to define an "official" version. As I wrote, not to 
> mean Blender must be compiled with that, but just so that script authors 
> know what is safe to aim for when they are coding for the community. 
> Core Python doesn't change *that* much (mostly it is upgraded with more 
> features), so this is ok.

The fact that this discussion has gone on so long means there
are some real issues and good arguments on all sides.  In a nutshell,
we want Blender to be a modern, high-speed, low-drag Python enabled
application, which means 2.4.  We also want it to run everywhere which
means 2.3. (we will get to Irix later)

To bring this discussion to a close, it is time to apply the
wisdom of Solomon and chop the baby in half.  I propose that

1) Python 2.4 is the 'official' version for Blender
2) Blender is Python 2.3 compatible.


> Freeing each platform manager to decide which version is better for that 
> platform, 2.3 or 2.4 (*), seems to me the best way to go now and in 
> future updates.

Agreed.  This is really the core of the whole discussion.
There are just too many special cases here to pick one over the
other.

(Note: for those unable to penetrate the diplomatic fog, I am agreeing
with Willian here.  The official version talk in point #1 is
just marketing buzz-speak)

> (*) 2.2 might not compile anymore with our sources, guess Hos mentioned 
> he had tried. Maybe we can fix something to support it again, but 
> guaranteeing scripts in general will work with 2.2 is not a good idea 
> (many will, though).

Back to Irix.  IIRC, the two main problems with Irix vs Python were
struct size changes from 2.2 -> 2.3 and the socket module.  I am
guessing the SGI freeware 2.2 version is either hacked or compiled
without socket support.  On our bpy side, we can insert some #ifdefs
so Blender is still compilable with 2.2 and the rest of us don't see
all those accursed struct initialization warnings.

But this is a better topic for the bpy list.

-- 
Stephen Swaney			
sswaney at centurytel.net