[Biopython-dev] Updating Biopython requirements wording to recommend Python 3

[Peter Cock]

On Mon, Oct 5, 2015 at 3:45 PM, Vincent Davis <vincent at vincentdavis.net> wrote:
>
> On Thu, Oct 1, 2015 at 7:42 AM, Peter Cock <p.j.a.cock at googlemail.com>
> wrote:
>>
>> We currently recommend using Python 3.5 from http://www.python.org
>> and avoiding legacy Python 2.6 or 2.7 unless your choice is restricted
>> due to having to work with old code.
>
> I think adding a timeline for planned support and development of 2.6, 2.7
> would be good and make thing more clear.
>
> ...
>
> When do drop 2.6 would seem the important date. Python 2.7 is going to be
> bug fixed until 2020 but development has stopped.
> http://legacy.python.org/dev/peps/pep-0373/

Good point - I was wondering if we should raise that question.
Most of our local Linux systems now have Python 2.7 by default,
some of the older ones do still have Python 2.6 but I can cope.

Personally I am happy to deprecate Biopython support for Python 2.6
with the next release, meaning we'd be free to drop it after a year and
at least two Biopython releases have passed:

http://biopython.org/wiki/Deprecation_policy

That would let us use Dictionary and set comprehensions, and also
set literals for example - something which has caught out some recent
contributors not used to the shackles of Python 2.6

Are there still any major platforms using Python 2.6 by default?

Peter