PEP: 361 Title: Python 2.6 Release Schedule Version: $Revision$ Last-Modified: $Date$ Author: Neal Norwitz Status: Draft Type: Informational Created: 29-June-2006 Python-Version: 2.6 Post-History: Abstract This document describes the development and release schedule for Python 2.6. The schedule primarily concerns itself with PEP-sized items. Small features may be added up to and including the first beta release. Bugs may be fixed until the final release. There will be at least two alpha releases, two beta releases, and one release candidate. The release date is planned to be in XXX 2008. Release Manager and Crew XXX volunteered to be Release Manager. XXX is building the Windows installers, XXX is building the Mac installers, XXX the doc packages and XXX the RPMs. Release Schedule Note that this schedule is completely tentative. The number of alphas, betas and release candidates will be determined as the release process unfolds. The minimal schedule is: June 2007: (re)confirm the crew and start deciding on schedule. The initial 2.6 target is for April 2008. alpha 1: T - 16 weeks [planned] alpha 2: T - 13 weeks [planned] beta 1: T - 9 weeks [planned] beta 2: T - 5 weeks [planned] rc 1: T - 1 week [planned] final: T [planned] Completed features for 2.6 PEPs: 352: Raising a string exception now triggers a TypeError. Attempting to catch a string exception raises DeprecationWarning. BaseException.message has been deprecated. New modules in the standard library: None Deprecated modules and functions in the standard library: - buildtools - cfmfile - commands.getstatus() - macostools.touched() - md5 - MimeWriter - mimify - popen2, os.popen[234]() - posixfile - sets - sha Modules removed from the standard library: - gopherlib - rgbimg - macfs Python 3.0 compatability: - warnings were added for the following builtins which no longer exist in 3.0: apply, callable, coerce, dict.has_key, execfile, reduce, reload Other major features: - with/as will be keywords - a __dir__() special method to control dir() was added [1] - AtheOS support stopped. Possible features for 2.6 New features *should* be implemented prior to alpha2, particularly any C modifications or behavioral changes. New features *must* be implemented prior to beta1 or will require Release Manager approval. The following PEPs are being worked on for possible inclusion in 2.6: - PEP 297: Support for System Upgrades [#pep297] - PEP 358: The "bytes" Object [#pep358] - PEP 367: New Super [#pep367] - PEP 3112: Bytes literals in Python 3000 [#pep3112] - PEP 3127: Integer Literal Support and Syntax [#pep3127] Each non-trivial feature listed here that is not a PEP must be discussed on python-dev. Other enhancements include: - distutils replacement (requires a PEP) - turtle.py replacement or enhancements New modules in the standard library: - winerror http://python.org/sf/1505257 (Owner: MAL) - JSON implementation - setuptools BDFL pronouncement for inclusion in 2.5: http://mail.python.org/pipermail/python-dev/2006-April/063964.html PJE's withdrawal from 2.5 for inclusion in 2.6: http://mail.python.org/pipermail/python-dev/2006-April/064145.html Modules to gain a DeprecationWarning (as specified for Python 2.6 or through negligence): - rfc822 - mimetools - multifile - compiler package (or a Py3K warning instead?) - warnings module implemented in C * Convert Parser/*.c to use warnings module rather than printf - Add warnings for Py3k features removed: * backticks and <> * __getslice__/__setslice__/__delslice__ * float args to PyArgs_ParseTuple * float args to xrange * coerce and all its friends * comparing by default comparison * __cmp__? * other comparison changes? * int division? * {}.has_key() * All PendingDeprecationWarnings (e.g. exceptions) * using zip() result as a list * the exec statement (use function syntax) * file.xreadlines * function attributes that start with func_* (should use __*__) * softspace removal for print() function * the L suffix for long literals * removal of modules because of PEP 4/3100/3108 * renaming of __nonzero__ to __bool__ * multiple inheritance with classic classes? (MRO might change) * properties and classic classes? (instance attrs shadow property) - use __bool__ method if available and there's no __nonzero__ - Check the various bits of code in Demo/ and Tools/ all still work, update or remove the ones that don't. - All modules in Modules/ should be updated to be ssize_t clean. - All of Python (including Modules/) should compile cleanly with g++ - Start removing deprecated features and generally moving towards Py3k - Replace all old style tests (operate on import) with unittest or docttest - Add tests for all untested modules - Document undocumented modules/features - bdist_deb in distutils package http://mail.python.org/pipermail/python-dev/2006-February/060926.html - bdist_egg in distutils package - pure python pgen module (Owner: Guido) Deferral to 2.6: http://mail.python.org/pipermail/python-dev/2006-April/064528.html - Remove the fpectl module? Deferred until 2.7 None Open issues How should import warnings be handled? http://mail.python.org/pipermail/python-dev/2006-June/066345.html http://python.org/sf/1515609 http://python.org/sf/1515361 How should -m (__main__ in general) work with relative imports? [#pep366]_ References .. [1] Adding a __dir__() magic method http://mail.python.org/pipermail/python-dev/2006-July/067139.html .. [#pep358] PEP 358 (The "bytes" Object) http://www.python.org/dev/peps/pep-0358 .. [#pep366] PEP 366 (Main module explicit relative imports) http://www.python.org/dev/peps/pep-0366 .. [#pep367] PEP 367 (New Super) http://www.python.org/dev/peps/pep-0367 .. [#pep3112] PEP 3112 (Bytes literals in Python 3000) http://www.python.org/dev/peps/pep-03112 .. [#pep3127] PEP 3127 (Integer Literal Support and Syntax) http://www.python.org/dev/peps/pep-03127 Copyright This document has been placed in the public domain. 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