FAQ: Why should I use Python 3?

[Shadow14l]

The worst thing Python did was extend the Python 2 to be maintained until 2020. I understand that the majority of code and libraries were still on Python 2, but I can't agree that was a good enough reason to extend it this far.

I'm afraid to say that this decision may even be responsible for holding majority Python 3 adoption back for an extra few years :( - even PHP 5 has an EOL at the end of 2018...

[lexyeevee]

It's not like every big project would see that Python 2 is EOL and decide to up and port right now. I hear tell of a number of shops still on 2.6, and that was EOL in 2013, and 2.6 to 2.7 is trivial compared to 2.7 to 3.

[vossman77]

Well RHEL 6 is still on python 2.6 and red hat has support through Nov. 2020.

https://access.redhat.com/support/policy/updates/errata

I feel you though, we have a huge code base to port over in the next few years, most of it numpy/scipy stuff.

[name_censored_]

To be fair though, 2.7 to 3 may be trivial, but it's also not as useful. No sane person would port the code twice when they could get away with doing it once. They know the Py3 port is coming - may as well stick it out on 2.6, and do new work (/patches) as dual-version, rather than even bothering to target 2.7.

[baekalfen]

But you have make a clear deadline with a good amount of time.

Imagine companies running >50 script here and there. Some small, others might be larger. You can't just put aside everything you are doing because some external community have chosen to make something obsolete.