[S.Chang wrote]
> Anyone knows the difference(s) between the Python binaries from
> ActiveState and Python.org?
The responses to this thread so far gave most of the differences. In
summary:
- On Windows, ActivePython includes the PyWin32 extensions.
- ActivePython rolls the core Python docs and a bunch of extra doc bits
into one package, as detailed here:
http://aspn.activestate.com/ASPN/docs/ActivePython/2.4/about.html
- We have binary installers for more platforms:
win32-x86
linux-x86
macosx-powerpc
solaris-sparc
solaris-x86
hpux-parisc
aix-powerpc
(And we'll likely have a few more in the future, in particular
macosx-x86 and perhaps some newer 64-bit platforms.)
- As Neil pointed out, ActivePython does not currently have SSL bindings
(the _ssl module) that python.org's Python builds do. We are currently
going through the legal hurdles so that we can include those. I expect
that by or before the Python 2.5 timeframe we'll have _ssl in
ActivePython.
- ActivePython is free, but is not open source so, as Steve mentioned,
you need permission if you want to *re-distribute* ActivePython.
However, *using* ActivePython is still completely free and using tools
like py2exe and py2app to wrap up your scripts and distribute those is
fine.
- ActivePython provides a Windows "debug" package: a zip of the
debug-build libs that you can install into your Python install
(python.org installs to as of the next release[1]). This can be useful
for some people building debug builds of Python extensions.
One of the important things is how ActivePython is NOT different:
ActivePython should be fully binary compatible with python.org builds.
This is to ensure that 3rd-party extensions built for and tested on one
will just work on the other.
[BartlebyScrivener wrote]
> The ActiveState version lags behind for a month or two in versions,
That is occassionaly true, yes, but not always. ActivePython 2.4.2 was,
I believe, a few weeks behind. 2.4.0 was released within a day or two.
[Neil Hodgson wrote]
> It would be helpful if the ActivePython "What's Included" page listed
> which parts of the python.org distribution are not included.
Good point. I'll update those docs now for the next release.
Cheers,
Trent (the ActivePython dude at ActiveState)
[1] Distributing the Python Windows debug build libs.
http://mail.python.org/pipermail/python-dev/2005-November/057896.html
http://mail.python.org/pipermail/python-dev/2005-December/058446.html
--
Trent Mick
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
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