Convert to rst. Add section on Windows lifecycle.

loewis · loewis · commit e2a9d17632ee · 2012-06-01T15:09:13.000+02:00
diff --git a/pep-0011.txt b/pep-0011.txt
@@ -5,189 +5,225 @@ Last-Modified: $Date$
 Author: martin@v.loewis.de (Martin von Löwis)
 Status: Active
 Type: Process
+Content-Type: text/x-rst
 Created: 07-Jul-2002
 Post-History: 18-Aug-2007
 
 
 Abstract
+--------
 
-    This PEP documents operating systems (platforms) which are not
-    supported in Python anymore.  For some of these systems,
-    supporting code might be still part of Python, but will be removed
-    in a future release - unless somebody steps forward as a volunteer
-    to maintain this code.
+This PEP documents operating systems (platforms) which are not
+supported in Python anymore.  For some of these systems,
+supporting code might be still part of Python, but will be removed
+in a future release - unless somebody steps forward as a volunteer
+to maintain this code.
 
 
 Rationale
+---------
 
-    Over time, the Python source code has collected various pieces of
-    platform-specific code, which, at some point in time, was
-    considered necessary to use Python on a specific platform.
-    Without access to this platform, it is not possible to determine
-    whether this code is still needed.  As a result, this code may
-    either break during the Python evolution, or it may become
-    unnecessary as the platforms evolve as well.
+Over time, the Python source code has collected various pieces of
+platform-specific code, which, at some point in time, was
+considered necessary to use Python on a specific platform.
+Without access to this platform, it is not possible to determine
+whether this code is still needed.  As a result, this code may
+either break during the Python evolution, or it may become
+unnecessary as the platforms evolve as well.
 
-    The growing amount of these fragments poses the risk of
-    unmaintainability: without having experts for a large number of
-    platforms, it is not possible to determine whether a certain
-    change to the Python source code will work on all supported
-    platforms.
+The growing amount of these fragments poses the risk of
+unmaintainability: without having experts for a large number of
+platforms, it is not possible to determine whether a certain
+change to the Python source code will work on all supported
+platforms.
 
-    To reduce this risk, this PEP proposes a procedure to remove code
-    for platforms with no Python users.
+To reduce this risk, this PEP proposes a procedure to remove code
+for platforms with no Python users.
 
 
 Unsupporting platforms
+----------------------
 
-    If a certain platform that currently has special code in it is
-    deemed to be without Python users, a note must be posted in this
-    PEP that this platform is no longer actively supported.  This
-    note must include:
+If a certain platform that currently has special code in it is
+deemed to be without Python users, a note must be posted in this
+PEP that this platform is no longer actively supported.  This
+note must include:
 
-    - the name of the system
-    - the first release number that does not support this platform
-      anymore, and
-    - the first release where the historical support code is actively
-      removed
+- the name of the system
+- the first release number that does not support this platform
+  anymore, and
+- the first release where the historical support code is actively
+  removed
 
-    In some cases, it is not possible to identify the specific list of
-    systems for which some code is used (e.g. when autoconf tests for
-    absence of some feature which is considered present on all
-    supported systems).  In this case, the name will give the precise
-    condition (usually a preprocessor symbol) that will become
-    unsupported.
+In some cases, it is not possible to identify the specific list of
+systems for which some code is used (e.g. when autoconf tests for
+absence of some feature which is considered present on all
+supported systems).  In this case, the name will give the precise
+condition (usually a preprocessor symbol) that will become
+unsupported.
 
-    At the same time, the Python source code must be changed to
-    produce a build-time error if somebody tries to install Python on
-    this platform.  On platforms using autoconf, configure must fail.
-    This gives potential users of the platform a chance to step
-    forward and offer maintenance.
+At the same time, the Python source code must be changed to
+produce a build-time error if somebody tries to install Python on
+this platform.  On platforms using autoconf, configure must fail.
+This gives potential users of the platform a chance to step
+forward and offer maintenance.
 
 
 Resupporting platforms
-
-    If a user of a platform wants to see this platform supported
-    again, he may volunteer to maintain the platform support.  Such an
-    offer must be recorded in the PEP, and the user can submit patches
-    to remove the build-time errors, and perform any other maintenance
-    work for the platform.
+----------------------
+
+If a user of a platform wants to see this platform supported
+again, he may volunteer to maintain the platform support.  Such an
+offer must be recorded in the PEP, and the user can submit patches
+to remove the build-time errors, and perform any other maintenance
+work for the platform.
+
+Microsoft Windows
+-----------------
+
+Microsoft has established a policy called product support lifecycle
+[1]_. Each product's lifecycle has a mainstream support phase, where
+the product is generally commercially available, and an extended
+support phase, where paid support is still available, and certain bug
+fixes are released (in particular security fixes).
+
+Python's Windows support now follows this lifecycle. A new feature
+release X.Y.0 will support all Windows releases whose extended support
+phase is not yet expired. Subsequent bug fix releases will support
+the same Windows releases as the original feature release (even if
+the extended support phase has ended).
+
+Because of this policy, no further Windows releases need to be listed
+in this PEP.
+
+Each feature release is built by a specific version of Microsoft
+Visual Studio. That version should have mainstream support when the
+release is made. Developers of extension modules will generally need
+to use the same Visual Studio release; they are concerned both with
+the availability of the versions they need to use, and with keeping
+the zoo of versions small. The Python source tree will keep 
+unmaintained build files for older Visual Studio releases, for which
+patches will be accepted. Such build files will be removed from the
+source tree 3 years after the extended support for the compiler has
+ended (but continue to remain available in revision control).
 
 
 No-longer-supported platforms
+-----------------------------
 
-    Name:             MS-DOS, MS-Windows 3.x
-    Unsupported in:   Python 2.0
-    Code removed in:  Python 2.1
+* | Name:             MS-DOS, MS-Windows 3.x
+  | Unsupported in:   Python 2.0
+  | Code removed in:  Python 2.1
 
-    Name:             SunOS 4
-    Unsupported in:   Python 2.3
-    Code removed in:  Python 2.4
+* | Name:             SunOS 4
+  | Unsupported in:   Python 2.3
+  | Code removed in:  Python 2.4
 
-    Name:             DYNIX
-    Unsupported in:   Python 2.3
-    Code removed in:  Python 2.4
+* | Name:             DYNIX
+  | Unsupported in:   Python 2.3
+  | Code removed in:  Python 2.4
 
-    Name:             dgux
-    Unsupported in:   Python 2.3
-    Code removed in:  Python 2.4
+* | Name:             dgux
+  | Unsupported in:   Python 2.3
+  | Code removed in:  Python 2.4
 
-    Name:             Minix
-    Unsupported in:   Python 2.3
-    Code removed in:  Python 2.4
+* | Name:             Minix
+  | Unsupported in:   Python 2.3
+  | Code removed in:  Python 2.4
 
-    Name:             Irix 4 and --with-sgi-dl
-    Unsupported in:   Python 2.3
-    Code removed in:  Python 2.4
+* | Name:             Irix 4 and --with-sgi-dl
+  | Unsupported in:   Python 2.3
+  | Code removed in:  Python 2.4
 
-    Name:             Linux 1
-    Unsupported in:   Python 2.3
-    Code removed in:  Python 2.4
+* | Name:             Linux 1
+  | Unsupported in:   Python 2.3
+  | Code removed in:  Python 2.4
 
-    Name:             Systems defining __d6_pthread_create (configure.in)
-    Unsupported in:   Python 2.3
-    Code removed in:  Python 2.4
+* | Name:             Systems defining __d6_pthread_create (configure.in)
+  | Unsupported in:   Python 2.3
+  | Code removed in:  Python 2.4
 
-    Name:             Systems defining PY_PTHREAD_D4, PY_PTHREAD_D6,
+* | Name:             Systems defining PY_PTHREAD_D4, PY_PTHREAD_D6,
                       or PY_PTHREAD_D7 in thread_pthread.h
-    Unsupported in:   Python 2.3
-    Code removed in:  Python 2.4
+  | Unsupported in:   Python 2.3
+  | Code removed in:  Python 2.4
 
-    Name:             Systems using --with-dl-dld
-    Unsupported in:   Python 2.3
-    Code removed in:  Python 2.4
+* | Name:             Systems using --with-dl-dld
+  | Unsupported in:   Python 2.3
+  | Code removed in:  Python 2.4
 
-    Name:             Systems using --without-universal-newlines,
-    Unsupported in:   Python 2.3
-    Code removed in:  Python 2.4
+* | Name:             Systems using --without-universal-newlines,
+  | Unsupported in:   Python 2.3
+  | Code removed in:  Python 2.4
 
-    Name:             MacOS 9
-    Unsupported in:   Python 2.4
-    Code removed in:  Python 2.4
+* | Name:             MacOS 9
+  | Unsupported in:   Python 2.4
+  | Code removed in:  Python 2.4
 
-    Name:             Systems using --with-wctype-functions
-    Unsupported in:   Python 2.6
-    Code removed in:  Python 2.6
+* | Name:             Systems using --with-wctype-functions
+  | Unsupported in:   Python 2.6
+  | Code removed in:  Python 2.6
 
-    Name:             Win9x, WinME, NT4
-    Unsupported in:   Python 2.6 (warning in 2.5 installer)
-    Code removed in:  Python 2.6
+* | Name:             Win9x, WinME, NT4
+  | Unsupported in:   Python 2.6 (warning in 2.5 installer)
+  | Code removed in:  Python 2.6
 
-    Name:             AtheOS
-    Unsupported in:   Python 2.6 (with "AtheOS" changed to "Syllable")
-    Build broken in:  Python 2.7 (edit configure to reenable)
-    Code removed in:  Python 3.0
-    Details:          http://www.syllable.org/discussion.php?id=2320
+* | Name:             AtheOS
+  | Unsupported in:   Python 2.6 (with "AtheOS" changed to "Syllable")
+  | Build broken in:  Python 2.7 (edit configure to reenable)
+  | Code removed in:  Python 3.0
+  | Details:          http://www.syllable.org/discussion.php?id=2320
 
-    Name:             BeOS
-    Unsupported in:   Python 2.6 (warning in configure)
-    Build broken in:  Python 2.7 (edit configure to reenable)
-    Code removed in:  Python 3.0
+* | Name:             BeOS
+  | Unsupported in:   Python 2.6 (warning in configure)
+  | Build broken in:  Python 2.7 (edit configure to reenable)
+  | Code removed in:  Python 3.0
 
-    Name:             Systems using Mach C Threads
-    Unsupported in:   Python 3.2
-    Code removed in:  Python 3.3
+* | Name:             Systems using Mach C Threads
+  | Unsupported in:   Python 3.2
+  | Code removed in:  Python 3.3
 
-    Name:             SunOS lightweight processes (LWP)
-    Unsupported in:   Python 3.2
-    Code removed in:  Python 3.3
+* | Name:             SunOS lightweight processes (LWP)
+  | Unsupported in:   Python 3.2
+  | Code removed in:  Python 3.3
 
-    Name:             Systems using --with-pth (GNU pth threads)
-    Unsupported in:   Python 3.2
-    Code removed in:  Python 3.3
+* | Name:             Systems using --with-pth (GNU pth threads)
+  | Unsupported in:   Python 3.2
+  | Code removed in:  Python 3.3
 
-    Name:             Systems using Irix threads
-    Unsupported in:   Python 3.2
-    Code removed in:  Python 3.3
+* | Name:             Systems using Irix threads
+  | Unsupported in:   Python 3.2
+  | Code removed in:  Python 3.3
 
-    Name:             OSF* systems (issue 8606)
-    Unsupported in:   Python 3.2
-    Code removed in:  Python 3.3
+* | Name:             OSF* systems (issue 8606)
+  | Unsupported in:   Python 3.2
+  | Code removed in:  Python 3.3
 
-    Name:             OS/2
-    Unsupported in:   Python 3.3
-    Code removed in:  Python 3.4
+* | Name:             OS/2
+  | Unsupported in:   Python 3.3
+  | Code removed in:  Python 3.4
 
-    Name:             VMS
-    Unsupported in:   Python 3.3
-    Code removed in:  Python 3.4
+* | Name:             VMS
+  | Unsupported in:   Python 3.3
+  | Code removed in:  Python 3.4
 
-    Name:             Windows 2000
-    Unsupported in:   Python 3.3
-    Code removed in:  Python 3.4
+* | Name:             Windows 2000
+  | Unsupported in:   Python 3.3
+  | Code removed in:  Python 3.4
 
-    Name:             Windows systems where COMSPEC points to command.com
-    Unsupported in:   Python 3.3
-    Code removed in:  Python 3.4
+* | Name:             Windows systems where COMSPEC points to command.com
+  | Unsupported in:   Python 3.3
+  | Code removed in:  Python 3.4
 
-Platform Maintainers
+References
+----------
 
-    Cygwin            Jason Tishler (jason@tishler.net)
-    More TBD.
+.. [1] http://support.microsoft.com/lifecycle/
 
 Copyright
+---------
 
-    This document has been placed in the public domain.
+This document has been placed in the public domain.
 
 
 
