Re: Bootstrap with old Python

[Jeffrey Walton]

On Fri, Aug 21, 2020 at 5:20 AM Darshit Shah <darnir@gnu.org> wrote:
>
> On 8/21/20 10:57 AM, Jeffrey Walton wrote:
> > On Fri, Aug 21, 2020 at 4:45 AM Bruno Haible <bruno@clisp.org> wrote:
> >>
> >> Hi Jeffrey,
> >>
> >>> I'm testing Wget2. I believe it uses Gnulib from master.
> >>>
> >>> Older Python does not respond to 'python --version':
> >>>
> >>> Unknown option: --
> >>> usage: python [option] ... [-c cmd | file | -] [arg] ...
> >>> Try `python -h' for more information.
> >>> ./bootstrap: Error: 'python' not found
> >>>
> >>> 'python -V' produces expected error messages, but it requires a patch
> >>> of bootstrap:
> >>>
> >>> ./bootstrap: Error: 'python' version == Python 2.3.4 is too old
> >>> ./bootstrap:        'python' version >= 2 is required
> >>> ./bootstrap: Please install the prerequisite programs
> >>
> >> I don't think there are many users in the same situation than you.
> >> Reason: Most distros have been shipping Python 2.7.x (minimum) for a
> >> long time [1].
> >>
> >> Also, Python 3 can be assumed from next year on, since Python 2 is
> >> end-of-life this year [2].
> >
> > I don't think so. Fiat is a lazy developer practice, and it does not
> > reflect real life. For example Microsoft claims Windows 7 is dead but
> > it still has 28% market share.
> >
> I would very much disagree. Python 2.x has been in a deprecated state
> for years now. Not upgrading your systems with ample warning given is on
> the system maintainer. ...

But that's the point... The market decides, not developers. Developer
fiats mean nothing.

I would be very surprised to see Ubuntu 16 and Ubuntu 18 drop Python2
support from their LTS's next year.

Jeff