Timeline for Python?

[Sebastian Bassi]

Hello all,

I am working on a Python book, since it could be completed in about a
year (writing time + edition + publishing) or more, I would like to
know what version to target since I don't want to release a book that
will be outdated just after is printed.
I use 2.4 for everyday work but most webservers still carry 2.2 (and
most programs runs w/o any modification, since I don't tend to use new
features), but publishers know that people like to buy lasted version
books.
So, if the book is published in October 2007, should feature Python 3
or Python 2.5?
I did read http://www.python.org/dev/peps/pep-3000/ but I still not
sure about timeline.

Best regards,
SB.

--
Bioinformatics news: http://www.bioinformatica.info
Lriser: http://www.linspire.com/lraiser_success.php?serial=318

[Ben Sizer]

Sebastian Bassi wrote:

So, if the book is published in October 2007, should feature Python 3
or Python 2.5?
I did read http://www.python.org/dev/peps/pep-3000/ but I still not
sure about timeline.

I get the impression that Python 3 will not be around Any Time Soon and
certainly not in just 12 or 13 months. The PEP does suggest that it
isn't likely to be around any time before 2008 at the earliest.

--
Ben Sizer

[crystalattice]

I'd write for 2.4, even though 2.5 should be coming out "shortly".
There aren't many significant changes to the whole language between 2.4
and 2.5. Probably the best thing is write for 2.4 and have a sidenote
stating where 2.5 operates differently.

The Python 3 timeline is almost a moving target right now; personally,
I don't think it will be out before next winter. Maybe a beta but I
doubt the full version.

[Sebastian Bassi]

On 1 Sep 2006 00:57:04 -0700, crystalattice <cr***********@gmail.comwrote:

I'd write for 2.4, even though 2.5 should be coming out "shortly".
There aren't many significant changes to the whole language between 2.4
and 2.5. Probably the best thing is write for 2.4 and have a sidenote
stating where 2.5 operates differently.
The Python 3 timeline is almost a moving target right now; personally,
I don't think it will be out before next winter. Maybe a beta but I
doubt the full version.

Maybe I forgot to tell, but its going to take me at least 6 month to
finish the book, then there is a proofreading stage with the publisher
and then the release, so it will take about 1 year (about end of
2007), that is why I am thinking in 2.5 and 3.
What do you think about it?

--
Bioinformatics news: http://www.bioinformatica.info
Lriser: http://www.linspire.com/lraiser_success.php?serial=318

[Fredrik Lundh]

Sebastian Bassi wrote:

Maybe I forgot to tell, but its going to take me at least 6 month to
finish the book

I don't think anyone will know exactly how 3.0 will look within 6
months. Not that your publisher may care about that; there are plenty
of books out there that describe how the author thought something would
look some time in the future. For some publishers, being bleeding edge
is more fun than being useful. And you can always print a second edition.

But if the goal is to be useful, I'd target 2.5, and mention differences
and workarounds for 2.3 and 2.4 where suitable.

</F>

[Aahz]

In article <11**********************@p79g2000cwp.googlegroups .com>,
crystalattice <cr***********@gmail.comwrote:

>
I'd write for 2.4, even though 2.5 should be coming out "shortly".
There aren't many significant changes to the whole language between 2.4
and 2.5. Probably the best thing is write for 2.4 and have a sidenote
stating where 2.5 operates differently.

Speaking as the co-author of _Python for Dummies_:

That's bad advice -- there are three Python books already out (or out
within the next couple of weeks) that target 2.5: _Python in a Nutshell_,
_Core Python_, and _Python for Dummies_. _Python for Dummies_ had an
edit cycle after 2.5b1, so there should be little difference between that
and the released version. A book scheduled for publication a year from
now should absolutely target 2.5 or risk looking dated.

There are in fact a lot of new features in 2.5: conditional expressions;
relative imports; unified try/except/finally; generators getting send(),
throw(), and close(); the with statement. That doesn't even include
critical library features such as sqlite and ElementTree.

OTOH, I do agree that any book written should include diferences between
2.5 and earlier versions for the benefit of people needing to target
earlier or multiple versions.
--
Aahz (aa**@pythoncraft.com) <* http://www.pythoncraft.com/

I support the RKAB

[Ray]

Sebastian Bassi wrote:

Hello all,

I am working on a Python book, since it could be completed in about a
year (writing time + edition + publishing) or more, I would like to
know what version to target since I don't want to release a book that
will be outdated just after is printed.
I use 2.4 for everyday work but most webservers still carry 2.2 (and
most programs runs w/o any modification, since I don't tend to use new
features), but publishers know that people like to buy lasted version
books.

But also there are a lot of books about 2.2 already--I've got quite a
number of them and if I really have to go down to 2.2 I can always
return back to them. For new books definitely 2.5--how can you possibly
target something that will have an alpha *probably* released sometime
in 2007? And may be released in 2008 or even 2009? Your book may be
obsolete the moment it comes out if you're targeting an alpha.

So, if the book is published in October 2007, should feature Python 3
or Python 2.5?
I did read http://www.python.org/dev/peps/pep-3000/ but I still not
sure about timeline.

>From the document, looks like even BDFL ain't sure, just a general

estimate of sometime in 2007 and release in maybe 2008 if we're lucky
:)

>
Best regards,
SB.

--
Bioinformatics news: http://www.bioinformatica.info
Lriser: http://www.linspire.com/lraiser_success.php?serial=318

[Ray]

crystalattice wrote:

I'd write for 2.4, even though 2.5 should be coming out "shortly".
There aren't many significant changes to the whole language between 2.4
and 2.5. Probably the best thing is write for 2.4 and have a sidenote
stating where 2.5 operates differently.

Python in a Nutshell 2nd edition already covers 2.5. Now if I can get
my hands on a copy........... for some reason it's always out of stock!
:(

>
The Python 3 timeline is almost a moving target right now; personally,
I don't think it will be out before next winter. Maybe a beta but I
doubt the full version.