[Biopython-dev] Dropping Python 2.5 and Jython 2.5 support?

[Peter Cock]

On Mon, Oct 22, 2012 at 6:17 PM, Peter Cock <p.j.a.cock at googlemail.com> wrote:
> Dear Biopythoneers,
>
> Would anyone object to us preparing to drop support for Python 2.5 and
> Jython 2.5, perhaps after the next Biopython release?
>
> To reassure those of you using Jython, we'd wait until Jython 2.7 is out
> first. Jython 2.7 is already in alpha, and brings support for C Python 2.7
> language features.
>
> Thanks,
>
> Peter

Hello all,

Having recently back-ported some Python 3 code with a C
extension to Python 2.6 and 2.7, I can now more clearly
appreciate the benefits dropping Python 2.5 support has for
writing code for both Python 2 and 3 - and am keen to be
able to exploit this for Biopython.

Given no major objections to the email I sent round in October
last year (thank you for your input Nathan), we will press ahead
with phasing out support for Python 2.5, provisionally supporting
it in the forthcoming Biopython 1.61 and at least one more release
(which would mean Biopython 1.62 due Summer 2013).

https://github.com/biopython/biopython/commit/3f17f75b320fb6624d332809ef07314bab97477c

My only significant concern is for Jython users, since this will also
mean dropping support for Jython 2.5 (which implements the
Python 2.5 language). The replacement Jython 2.7 is still only
at the alpha release stage.

Regards,

Peter