[Biopython-dev] Planning to drop Python 2 support by 2020?

Tiago Antão tiagoantao at gmail.com
Fri Jun 23 19:32:19 UTC 2017


Hi,

I understand that some folks (surely not only Joao) have old code, but to
be quite frank, supporting old code is shifting the burden to us by
something we have no real fault. It is not our responsibility if people did
not take appropriate decisions over time. Should we be supporting Python 1?

Other than a burden on us, it is also a burden on users that did the
recommended thing (remember this comes from CPython - not us) because
Biopython could be using more modern features and it is not.

Also, being quite cynical, I think the project would profit more to be
modern than supporting very old stuff. Biopython shows its age. Compared to
any other big Python project out there that I can think off. it is clearly
behind the curve.

Come 2020, old Biopython versions will always be available, people should
use those if they need Python 2 support.

On 22 June 2017 at 05:00, Peter Cock <p.j.a.cock at googlemail.com> wrote:

> Thank Joao,
>
> I am interpreting the pledge as dropping any expectation of support
> for Biopython on Python 2 after 2020, but with enough leeway for an
> emergency fix release if required after thereafter.
>
> (Much like how Microsoft officially ended Windows XP support some
> time ago, but does occasionally release critical security fixes)
>
> Peter
>
> On Thu, Jun 22, 2017 at 11:49 AM, João Rodrigues
> <j.p.g.l.m.rodrigues at gmail.com> wrote:
> > Hi Peter,
> >
> > I believe we are on the same page, I just think it's important to mention
> > these issues explicitly in writing somewhere because they *will* pop up.
> The
> > pledge should highlight that it drops support for developing for Python
> 2.x,
> > and this I completely agree with. However, I am firmly against dropping
> all
> > support for users stuck with Python 2.x. It's a matter of wording and
> > interpretation of the pledge text I guess..
> >
> > So yes, I agree.
> >
> > Cheers,
> >
> > João
>
> _______________________________________________
> Biopython-dev mailing list
> Biopython-dev at mailman.open-bio.org
> http://mailman.open-bio.org/mailman/listinfo/biopython-dev
>



-- 
Tiago Antao
Scientific and HPC programmer
http://tiago.org
https://github.com/tiagoantao/
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