macOS Python versions (and others)

[AlmostThere]

Does anyone know why the default OS X Python version is so old?

I know there are separate releases which work very well but I have been wondering why Apple haven't bundled updates as they have done with Java?

(I sort of understand the Java 5/6 issue and there is a developer preview but we are now TWO major releases down the road with python)

Are they hidden on the system or on ADC somewhere?

Actually, I could ask the same thing about PHP, default version 4.x, IIRC (not that I use PHP, so might be wrong on this).

I just have this niggling feeling that Apple are gradually ignoring some of the features that made them appear developer friendly in the first place (especially now as I see they are bundling Ruby On Rails, the latest cool kid on the block, with Leopard).

Any thoughts?

 

[eddietr]

Well, I wonder if they use it internally and so upgrading python would mean triggering a new release of other things in OS X?

Anyway, it's obviously easy to install whichever version you want.

 

[AussieSusan]

Anyway, it's obviously easy to install whichever version you want.

Agreed, but there is also the issue at the back of my mind that they might have 'enhanced' the distributed version they way they have with GCC/gdb (at least that's the way I understand it - the latest versions from outside Apple do not necessarily incorporate some of the Apple enhancements).

Susan

 

[blaster_boy]

I'm running python 2.5 on my imac, can't say I notice any difference in the python scripts I run (but then it's nothing special either what I run...)

 

[AlmostThere]

Anyway, it's obviously easy to install whichever version you want.

It's not so much about me but about what is running on our servers, what is supported by Apple and what an admin has to go through when a new server is installed (many of whom have a long list of jobs already).

I would be in deep, er, water if I went about installing stuff willy-nilly.

 

[eddietr]

It's not so much about me but about what is running on our servers, what is supported by Apple and what an admin has to go through when a new server is installed (many of whom have a long list of jobs already).

I would be in deep, er, water if I went about installing stuff willy-nilly.

Of course, in any case you have to have some sort of config mgmt for your servers. But in my experience, it's unlikely that your server applications team will be on exactly the same release schedule as Apple. So in practical terms, you will have to have your own strategy for Python upgrades or JDK upgrades or anything else for that matter. Just because of timing of Apple system updates versus your own development and release schedule.

At least this is how we end up having to manage our own python development on RHEL. Similar situation, especially since RedHat uses python so much for their own stuff.