5 ms·
You can keep running Python 2 just like you keep your COBOL systems running, nobody's gonna stop you except common sense.
by fwip 7y ago
You can keep running Python 2 just like you keep your COBOL systems running, nobody's gonna stop you except common sense.
- Kaiyou 7y agoRight, but in engineering it's kind of expected to get support for a version for at least 60 years. Software engineering is just really weird in that it moves so fast and nobody seems to care to break things.
- joshuamorton 7y agoWhat free things are supported for 60 years in engineering applications? Name one.
- greglindahl 7y agoFairly ancient Fortran compiles OK in open source compilers. Not quite 60 years old, yet, but it'll be there soon.
- TheRealKing 7y agoIt's already >65 years old. The 65th birthday was this summer 2019.
- ZWoz 7y agoThey (in engineering general) aren't expected support something free though. Putting it another way: You can get you support with Python2, if you pay.
- protomyth 7y agoIBM does quite a good job of making sure that COBOL is supported long term with all needed updates for many many years to come. Python 2 is not in that position.
- jhall1468 7y agoYou mean, IBM does quite a good job of making sure IBM COBOL is supported long term. They are maintaining their compiler, which is exactly what PSF is doing. They are maintaining their interpreter, which is Python 3.
- protomyth 7y agoThe GP post missed the fundamental difference between keeping COBOL running and keeping Python 2 running. Python 2 was also PSF's interpreter. IBM handling a COBOL upgrade like PSF handling the 2-3 transition would be unacceptable.
- WorldMaker 7y agoWould PSF exponentially increasing support and maintenance costs for Python 2 into multimillion dollar contracts and bundling over-margined hardware in with the bundle to make it more of an IBM-like transition help?
- protomyth 7y agoYep, someone has to pay in one way or another like Red Hat customers on 7, but to say Python has near the life cycle of COBOL is just disingenuous. Old COBOL still runs, but Python 2 programs will not. It really shows what the achievement languages like COBOL, RPG, and Fortran are in terms of longevity and migration.
- mynameisvlad 7y ago> but Python 2 programs will not Er, why not? It's not like there's some kill switch in Python 2 that will make it stop working after January 1st, 2020. If it works now, then it'll still work, you're just not guaranteed fixes anymore. At least, not for free. As stated in the article, paid support options exist from several vendors.