[Zope] Re: [Zope-dev] REQUIRING Python 2.1??

[Cary O'Brien]

A small comment on the zope upgrade to requiring Python 2.1

One to think about is who will be effected, and how...

New users w/ windows/nt:  They have to download and install
python anyhow, so is it any harder to get the latest version?
If you search google for "download python" and take the easiset
path, which version do you end up with.

Existing users w/ windows/nt:  How hard is it to have both
versions of python running on one machine [I have no idea].

New Linux users:  This may be the hardest group.  They will
already have Python 1.5 installed, and may not really understand
installing rpms and stuff like that.

Existing Linux users: Some will have no problems with a new version
of python, others may be confused.

Other Unix users:  These people probably know enough to handle
the python upgrade.

So...

1) Someone with lots of Win/NT/W2k experience needs to figure out
   how to support 2 pythons and new/old zopes.

2) Instructions for downloading Python 2.1 should be made very clear.
   Perhaps even with links at the zope download site.

3) Common error cases (I guess that would only be new zope/old python)
   should provide very clear error messages on all platforms.

4) People on the zope list should have canned replies ready to go
   for the inevitable.

5) DC should put the right spin "upgrade takes advantage of exciting
   python 2.1 features such as ..." on the upgrade and get the information
   out into the electronic press.

Fire away...

-- cary