Experience with Python 3 on Ubuntu?

[A_Fiachra]

I apologize if this is is a bit off topic here, but what has been your experience using Python 3 while maintaining python 2.x for system utilities?

I would like to start developing in Python 3.1 and porting some apps from Python 2.x, but I want to avoid land mines with system utilities that are dependent on Python.

TIA

==AF

[Can+~]

You can run python scripts with


python -3 myscript.py

To warn about incompatibilities with python 3.

[A_Fiachra]

You can run python scripts with


python -3 myscript.pyTo warn about incompatibilities with python 3.

Thank you.

However running:



sudo find /usr/lib -name "*.py" -exec python -3 {} \;


tells me there are a LOT of things that would break if I made python 3.1 my default Python.

Makes me think I should just build from source and install in /opt/python3


Thoughts??

==AF

[j7%<RmUg]

If i wanted to port stuff to python 3.1 then thats what i would do, i just ran one of my python programs with the -3 flag(thanks for that) and i found out cpickle is deprecated in 3.0.

[casevh]

It's easy to install alternative versions of Python to a different location and not replace the system version. Short version:

1) Get source and and untar, etc.
2) ./configure --prefix=/usr/local --enable-unicode=ucs4
3) make
4) make altinstall

This will install a new version of Python in /usr/local/bin and leave the name as python3.1. I usually create a symlink so I can just type py31.

casevh

[wmcbrine]

...none of which is necessary. Seriously, it's not an issue. Just install Python 3 from the repos. It will not become the system's default Python. It will not interfere with the system's default Python. Just type "python3" instead of "python" when you want to use it. You can do the same with other versions, too -- I have python2.4, python2.5, python2.6 and python3 all installed simultaneously. 2.6 is the default. None of them interfere with each other.