[GRASS-PSC] [GRASS-dev] Min. req. of programming language standard support, GRASS GIS 8

[Markus Neteler]

Hi,

On Tue, Mar 16, 2021 at 8:30 PM Veronica Andreo <veroandreo at gmail.com> wrote:
>
> Hi everyone
>
> Thanks for all the feedback.
>
> In practical terms then, shall we:
> - remove all python references from the Language Standards draft RFC [0] and vote only for C/C++, while creating a separate RFC for the minimum python version?
> - add a formula that sets on which pace the minimum supported python version will change to the Language Standards draft RFC [0] and vote for everything altogether?

For Python support, it is worth looking at the GDAL RFC 77 which
includes useful tables and links:
- https://gdal.org/development/rfc/rfc77_drop_python2_support.html

esp.:
- https://endoflife.date/python#:~:text=The%20support%20for%20Python%202.7,dropping%20support%20for%20Python%202.7

Useful is also
- https://repology.org/project/python/versions

With respect to the pace of periodic review and updating of the
language standards support I believe that we need that at the pace of
sub-major releases (e.g., 7.8 -> 7.9). Just look back at the major
releases (https://grass.osgeo.org/about/history/releases/) we observe
quite some time span:

- (2021) GRASS GIS 8.0.0
- 2015 GRASS GIS 7.0.0
- 2005 GRASS GIS 6.0.0
- 2002 GRASS GIS 5.0.0
- 1991 GRASS 4.0
- 1988 GRASS 3.0
- 1987 GRASS 2.0
- 1984 GRASS 1.0

Hence sub-major releases might be the way to go.

Markus

> [0] https://trac.osgeo.org/grass/wiki/RFC/7_LanguageStandardsSupport