4 ms·

Since everyone gives anecdotal proofs that Python 3 is just fine, I'll give mine as well. I've migrated to Python3 a rather big project (for the unicode handlin

by wiz21c 11y ago

Since everyone gives anecdotal proofs that Python 3 is just fine, I'll give mine as well. I've migrated to Python3 a rather big project (for the unicode handling) and although it was not quite easy, it'just fine now. I'm active in Qt, web, json, sql domains and I've never needed a library that is Python 2 only. Thus from my own point of view, the Python 3 ecosystem is just complete now. Super.

EvanPlaice 11y ago
I think the biggest barrier to adoption right now is OS support. OSX still comes bundled with python2. There's no indication that Apple is working on a transition to 3. Ubuntu is actively working on the transition but the current LTS release (ie the one companies/enterprise will use) is still locked onto python2. The same can likely be said for other flavors of *nix. From a user's perspective, python3 has been ready for 'prime time' for a while. From an OS, systems, enterprise perspective python3 still is still a ways out.
- emmelaich 11y ago
  I suspect that many Pythoners will install Python3 (with homebrew) or other on OSX (and whatever other platforms still come with just Python2)
  - hynek 11y ago
    I would recommend to even use pyenv (https://github.com/yyuu/pyenv https://github.com/yyuu/pyenv) that will allow you to install any Python version in your home directory (i.e. not fucking up your system installation). If you maintain many FOSS libs like I do, together with tox it's priceless.
    - obelisk_ 11y ago
      Homebrew installs software into /usr/local last time I checked so unless you are doing something really strange like manually overwriting system files, you'll be hard pressed to fuck up the whole system. Personally I'd install homebrew into /opt/homebrew.
      - DasIch 11y ago
        The real advantage of pyenv is being able to install all interpreters in all versions. If you're developing libraries, you're going to need that.
  - unfamiliar 11y ago
    Yes but when you want to distribute a program at the end of the day, you don't want to have to bundle python with every release or ask the use to install it, which makes a lot of people choose python 2 since it is ubiquitous.
    - new_hackers 11y ago
      python 2 is not ubiquitous, it is not installed by default on Windows
      - ylem 11y ago
        YMMV, but in the past, I've found it fairly easy to just have windows users install python(x,y) for scientific computing purposes. It's huge, but afterwards, most things just work. Anaconda is also a good choice.
  - EvanPlaice 11y ago
    Like I said. Python3 works for regular python users. What if I want to distribute a package to an audience that doesn't have a strong Python background. What would otherwise be a simple 'pip install' just turned into a complex multi-step process to install a new version, update PATH, and use virtualenv to avoid conflicts with the default install used internally by the OS. These all seem like 'simple' fixes to a regular Python user but they set a huge barrier-of-entry for others. 'Just use [insert python specific fix]' is a UX failure for a language that emphasizes usability. To reiterate. Python3 is ready for regular python users/devs. Not so much for the rest who consume python applications.
- bmurphy1976 11y ago
  Apple can't keep Python 2 up to date. If you are deploying a Python app on osx you unfortunately already have this problem.
mrweasel 11y ago
>Thus from my own point of view, the Python 3 ecosystem is just complete now. We're mostly seeing the same thing, but there is a few libraries where we maintain forks, because the original author didn't test Python 3 support, but just claimed that it would work. However all but one of these libraries are by commercial companies an solely for integrating their service. For the third one the original author seems to have evaporated (I believe one of my colleague are planning a fork with some of the other users of the library).

by wiz21c 11y ago

EvanPlaice 11y ago

I think the biggest barrier to adoption right now is OS support. OSX still comes bundled with python2. There's no indication that Apple is working on a transition to 3. Ubuntu is actively working on the transition but the current LTS release (ie the one companies/enterprise will use) is still locked onto python2. The same can likely be said for other flavors of *nix. From a user's perspective, python3 has been ready for 'prime time' for a while. From an OS, systems, enterprise perspective python3 still is still a ways out.

emmelaich 11y ago
I suspect that many Pythoners will install Python3 (with homebrew) or other on OSX (and whatever other platforms still come with just Python2)
- hynek 11y ago
  I would recommend to even use pyenv (https://github.com/yyuu/pyenv https://github.com/yyuu/pyenv) that will allow you to install any Python version in your home directory (i.e. not fucking up your system installation). If you maintain many FOSS libs like I do, together with tox it's priceless.
  - obelisk_ 11y ago
    Homebrew installs software into /usr/local last time I checked so unless you are doing something really strange like manually overwriting system files, you'll be hard pressed to fuck up the whole system. Personally I'd install homebrew into /opt/homebrew.
    - DasIch 11y ago
      The real advantage of pyenv is being able to install all interpreters in all versions. If you're developing libraries, you're going to need that.
- unfamiliar 11y ago
  Yes but when you want to distribute a program at the end of the day, you don't want to have to bundle python with every release or ask the use to install it, which makes a lot of people choose python 2 since it is ubiquitous.
  - new_hackers 11y ago
    python 2 is not ubiquitous, it is not installed by default on Windows
    - ylem 11y ago
      YMMV, but in the past, I've found it fairly easy to just have windows users install python(x,y) for scientific computing purposes. It's huge, but afterwards, most things just work. Anaconda is also a good choice.
- EvanPlaice 11y ago
  Like I said. Python3 works for regular python users. What if I want to distribute a package to an audience that doesn't have a strong Python background. What would otherwise be a simple 'pip install' just turned into a complex multi-step process to install a new version, update PATH, and use virtualenv to avoid conflicts with the default install used internally by the OS. These all seem like 'simple' fixes to a regular Python user but they set a huge barrier-of-entry for others. 'Just use [insert python specific fix]' is a UX failure for a language that emphasizes usability. To reiterate. Python3 is ready for regular python users/devs. Not so much for the rest who consume python applications.
bmurphy1976 11y ago
Apple can't keep Python 2 up to date. If you are deploying a Python app on osx you unfortunately already have this problem.

mrweasel 11y ago

>Thus from my own point of view, the Python 3 ecosystem is just complete now. We're mostly seeing the same thing, but there is a few libraries where we maintain forks, because the original author didn't test Python 3 support, but just claimed that it would work. However all but one of these libraries are by commercial companies an solely for integrating their service. For the third one the original author seems to have evaporated (I believe one of my colleague are planning a fork with some of the other users of the library).