[Svnmerge] why python 2.0 compatibility

[Giovanni Bajo]

On 7/13/2007 12:57 PM, Matthew Hannigan wrote:

>> There isn't only Linux though. BSDs tend to be slower at updates. When I 
>> started svnmerge.py, OpenBSD shipped with Python 2.1 (I think 2.4.2 was 
>> already out by that day, to put things in perspective).
> 
> I just checked the 'legacy' versions of openbsd (3.9) and freebsd (5.5)
> and they both have 2.4.x available.  Cygwin have just moved to 2.5.

I'll just note that BSD users are slower at updating versions than 
distributors at updating packages :) I've access to at least one BSD box 
where the current python version is 2.1.

>> So, I guess the compatibility bar could be raised if there was a *real* 
>> need. But I can't see one at the moment.
> 
> Well. There's no such thing as a _need_. But I hardly
> think you'd be inconveniencing anyone by going to say, 2.2 or maybe
> even 2.3.   2.3 is on redhat4.
> Jython is 2.2; I'm not sure whether anyone cares about that though.

I agree that if I was to start a new Python project like svnmerge.py 
*today*, I would probably not pick up 2.0 as a base version. In fact, 
I'm slowly writing a new tools (svnvendor.py, to manage vendor 
branches), and I'm aiming at 2.2 or 2.3 with that one. I think it's 
reasonable nowadays.

But, maintaining svnmerge.py compatible with 2.0 is really just a minor 
inconvienence, and to change the status quo I would like to see a real 
argument. There is no need to start breaking the compatibility that we 
have maintained over several years.

Instead of doing straw polls, please contribute a patch in which 2.0 
compatibility is really a PITA to maintain. That (code) would be a very 
good argument.
-- 
Giovanni Bajo