Updated for 1.4beta3
diff --git a/README b/README
index 06d0097..6deba91 100644
--- a/README
+++ b/README
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-This is Python release 1.4 beta 2
+This is Python release 1.4 beta 3
=================================
It's a beta release. Use this if you want to help me iron the last
@@ -6,18 +6,20 @@
1.4. In particular, I'm interested in porting experiences to Unix
boxes. Python should build out of the box using "./configure; make".
Also try running configue with the --with-thread and --with-readline
-options (described below). AIX users: please try the new shared
-library support!
+options (described below).
+
+I really expect this to be the last beta release. I declare a "feature
+freeze" until 1.4 final is released. Changes in 1.4 final will be
+restricted to urgent bugfixes, portability enhancements, and added
+documentation only.
What's new in this release?
---------------------------
-A list of things that changed since 1.4 beta 1 can be found in
-Misc/NEWS. This file will eventually be updated to also list what's
-new since to 1.3; in the mean time, you can have a look at
-http://www.python.org/workshops/1996-06/future.html (though there are
-some minor deviations from what was promised there, as usual).
+A list of (nearly) all things that changed in each of the 1.4 beta releases
+can be found in the file Misc/NEWS -- together this comprises a list of
+everything that's changed since 1.3.
What is Python anyway?
@@ -61,8 +63,8 @@
* If you use Python, please consider joining the Python Software *
* Activity (PSA). See http://www.python.org/psa/. *
* *
-* Organizations making heavy use of Python are especially invited *
-* to become corporate members! *
+* Organizations that make heavy use of Python are especially *
+* encouraged to become corporate members! *
* *
*************************************************************************
@@ -113,6 +115,9 @@
not, "make clean" sometimes helps to clean up other inexplicable
problems as well. Try it before sending in a bug report!
+If the configure script fails or doesn't seem to find things that
+should be there, inspect the config.log file.
+
Platform specific notes
-----------------------
@@ -126,20 +131,26 @@
the files as distributed don't match the system headers on
some Linux versions. (The "h2py" command refers to
Tools/scripts/h2py.py.) The modules distributed for Linux 2.x
- should be okay.
+ should be okay. Shared library support now works by default
+ on ELF-based x86 Linux systems.
-AIX: The notes in Misc/AIX-NOTES probably no longer apply. A
- complete overhaul of the shared library support is now in
- place, the only thing that's missing is a bit of explanation.
- Search for AIX in Modules/Setup(.in) for a clue.
+AIX: A complete overhaul of the shared library support is now in
+ place. To enable it, uncomment the LINKCC line in the Setup
+ file. See Misc/AIX-NOTES for some notes on how it's done.
- WARNING! In some versions of AIX, you get errors about
+ WARNING! In some versions of AIX 3.x, you get errors about
Invalid Indent when running the Python test set. This appears
to be a bug in the AIX compiler. Rebuild Parser/tokenizer.c
using OPT="" or OPT=-g, or use gcc.
-HP-UX: Read the file Misc/HPUX-NOTES if you want to be able to
- use shared libraries for dynamically loaded modules.
+HP-UX: Shared library support now works by default (at least on HP-UX
+ 9.x). One other problem remains: the HP ANSI C compiler (cc
+ -Aa) is too pedantic to use, but in K&R mode, it barfs on a
+ few files (complexobject.c, getargs.c and operator.c). Until
+ this is fixed, the following seems to work:
+
+ make -k # this compiles all but a few files
+ make OPT=-Aa # compile the remaining files
Minix: When using ack, use "CC=cc AR=aal RANLIB=: ./configure"!
@@ -185,7 +196,7 @@
The default collection of modules should build on any Unix system, but
many optional modules should work on all modern Unices (e.g. try dbm,
-mis, termios, timing, syslog, curses, new, soundex, parser). Often
+nis, termios, timing, syslog, curses, new, soundex, parser). Often
the quickest way to determine whether a particular module works or not
is to see if it will build: enable it in Setup, then if you get
compilation or link errors, disable it -- you're missing support.
@@ -387,8 +398,8 @@
appropriate machine with the appropriate options). This creates the
necessary subdirectories and the Makefiles therein. The Makefiles
contain a line VPATH=... which points to directory containing the
-actual sources. (On SGI systems, use "smake" instead of "make" if you
-use VPATH -- don't try gnumake.)
+actual sources. (On SGI systems, use "smake -J1" instead of "make" if
+you use VPATH -- don't try gnumake.)
For example, the following is all you need to build a minimal Python
in /usr/tmp/python (assuming ~guido/src/python is the toplevel
@@ -441,10 +452,7 @@
1 only if the corresponding feature is present and can be left alone
otherwise; however RETSIGTYPE must always be defined, either as int or
as void, and the *_t type symbols must be defined as some variant of
-int if they need to be defined at all. Then arrange that the symbol
-HAVE_CONFIG_H is defined during compilation (usually by passing an
-argument of the form `-DHAVE_CONFIG_H' to the compiler, but this is
-necessarily system-dependent).
+int if they need to be defined at all.
@@ -461,42 +469,24 @@
Python's power (including the built-in data types and functions!) is
described here.
-To print the documentation from the LaTeX files, chdir into the Doc
-subdirectory, type "make" (let's hope you have LaTeX installed!), and
-send the four resulting PostScript files (tut.ps, lib.ps, ref.ps, and
-ext.ps) to the printer. See the README file there.
+To print the documentation from the LaTeX files, chdir into the Doc
+subdirectory, type "make" (let's hope you have LaTeX installed!), and send
+the four resulting PostScript files (tut.ps, lib.ps, ref.ps, and ext.ps) to
+the printer. See the README file there. If you don't have LaTeX, you can
+ftp the PostScript files from the ftp archives (see below).
-All documentation is also available on-line via the World-Wide Web
-(WWW): http://www.python.org. It can also be downloaded
-separately from the ftp archives (see below) in Emacs INFO, HTML or
-PostScript form -- see the FAQ (file Misc/FAQ) for more info.
+All documentation is also available on-line via the Python web site
+(http://www.python.org/, see below). It can also be downloaded separately
+from the ftp archives (see below) in Emacs INFO, HTML or PostScript form --
+see the web site or the FAQ (file Misc/FAQ) for more info.
Emacs mode
----------
-There's an excellent Emacs editing mode for Python code; see the file
-Misc/python-mode.el. Originally written by Tim Peters, who's no
-longer on the net, it is now maintained by Barry Warsaw
-<bwarsaw@cnri.reston.va.com>.
-
-BTW, if you want to use font-lock for Python sources, here's something
-to put in your .emacs file:
-
- (defun my-python-mode-hook ()
- (setq font-lock-keywords python-font-lock-keywords)
- (font-lock-mode 1))
- (add-hook 'python-mode-hook 'my-python-mode-hook)
-
-
-
-Bug reports
------------
-
-Bugs are best reported to the comp.lang.python newsgroup or the Python
-mailing list -- see the section "Newsgroup and mailing list" below.
-Before posting, read the FAQ (file Misc/FAQ) first to see if your
-problem has already been answered!
+There's an excellent Emacs editing mode for Python code; see the file
+Misc/python-mode.el. Originally written by Tim Peters, it is now
+maintained by Barry Warsaw <bwarsaw@cnri.reston.va.us>.
Web site
@@ -507,8 +497,8 @@
that's close you you.
-Ftp access
-----------
+Ftp site
+--------
Python's own ftp site is ftp.python.org, directory /pub/python. See
the FAQ (file Misc/FAQ) for a list of other ftp sites carrying the
@@ -518,13 +508,38 @@
Newsgroup and mailing list
--------------------------
-There are a newsgroup and a mailing list devoted to Python. The
-newsgroup, comp.lang.python, contains exactly the same messages as the
-mailing list (though not always in the same order, due to the
-mysterious nature of Usenet news' flooding algorithms). To subscribe
-to the mailing list, send mail containing your real name and e-mail
-address to "python-list-request@cwi.nl" (a real person reads these
-messages, so no LISTPROC or Majordomo commands, please).
+There are a newsgroup and a mailing list devoted to Python. The newsgroup,
+comp.lang.python, contains exactly the same messages as the mailing list
+(though not always in the same order, due to the mysterious nature of the
+Usenet news distribution algorithm). To subscribe to the mailing list,
+send mail containing your real name and e-mail address to
+"python-list-request@cwi.nl". Use the same address if you want to
+unsibscribed. (A real person reads these messages, so no LISTPROC or
+Majordomo commands, please, and please be patient -- normal turn-around
+time is about one working day.)
+
+The Python web site contains a search form that lets you search the
+newsgroup archives (or the web site itself). Click on the "search" link
+in the banner menu on any page of http://www.python.org/.
+
+
+Bug reports
+-----------
+
+Bugs are best reported to the comp.lang.python newsgroup or the Python
+mailing list -- see the section "Newsgroup and mailing list" below. Before
+posting, check the newsgroup archives (see above) to see if your bug has
+already been reported! If you specifically don't want to involve the
+newsgroup or mailing list, send them to python-bugs@python.org.
+
+
+Questions
+---------
+
+For help, if you can't find it in the manuals, the FAQ or on the web
+site, it's best to post to the comp.lang.python or the Python mailing
+list (see above). If you specifically don't want to involve the
+newsgroup or mailing list, send questions to python-help@python.org.
The Tk interface
@@ -614,7 +629,7 @@
Author's address
-----------------
+================
Guido van Rossum
CNRI
@@ -622,7 +637,7 @@
Reston, VA 20191
USA
-E-mail: guido@cnri.reston.va.or or guido@python.org
+E-mail: guido@cnri.reston.va.us or guido@python.org