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That makes question from subject: will Slackware 15 be without Python 2?
Pros:
- don't put obsolete and almost EOL into distribution which should be supported for another 2-3 years
Cons:
- upgrade from 14.2 to 15.0 could be difficult for people as Python 2 is not full compatible with Python 3
On the flip side, shipping 15.0 with Python 2:
Pros:
- seamless upgrade from 14.2 to 15.0
- possibility to adapt later python scripts having both versions installed
Cons:
- keeping soon-to-be EOL package supported.
Of course I'm aware that people should install Python3 right now (from SBo for example) and start preparing for doomsday, but everyone knows how it work: if it works, don't touch it.
Further postponing of 15.0 release will not make things better :-(
That makes question from subject: will Slackware 15 be without Python 2?
Maybe not if it's released before 2020. But at some point the scale tips when keeping it alive is more work than fixing what breaks from killing it. This EOL may be that tipping point.
Let people who need it install python2 from slackbuilds.org, in my opinion. That allows it to quietly go away as people stop needing it, instead of Pat being forced to maintain it.
It also requires people to do something to continue using python2, which will be the first time a lot of people notice that they're using software that relies on python2.
Pat for sure knows it better. I think it's rather "are there any packages in future Slackware 15 that will still need Python 2 (or maybe provide Python 2 bindings etc)" than "do I personally need Python 2 in future Slackware 15".
There's a very fair point about Calibre needing Python 2 in this thread, even if Calibre itself isn't part of vanilla Slackware. A couple of months ago the SBo Calibre got broken for a while (due to some troubles with sip IIRC). I have emailed the author and asked if he's considering to provide an AppImage (that would include Python 2 of course) and would just work on any Linux, I never got any reply. I have just checked the download page on the Calibre official website and nothing there either. Not being able to use Calibre in Slackware 15 will hurt me, so this is probably a good time to prepare for such a scenario by finding some alternative (so far I didn't).
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