Re: [PATCH] [gdb/python] Use PyConfig for python 3.9

["Richard Earnshaw (foss)" <Richard.Earnshaw@arm.com>]

On 03/11/2025 18:21, Eli Zaretskii wrote:
>> Date: Mon, 3 Nov 2025 12:09:05 -0500
>> Cc: tdevries@suse.de, gdb-patches@sourceware.org
>> From: Simon Marchi <simark@simark.ca>
>>
>>> We can discuss the broader issue of whether we want to drop support
>>> for XP, yes.  When we do, please explain how supporting it holds back
>>> GNU development, as the basis for the discussion, and let's take it
>>> from there.
>>
>> One possibility is to declare that it's no longer possible to compile
>> GDB with Python support, on Windows XP, because we want to make use of
>> Python features newer that the latest Python that works on XP.
> 
> IMO, that's not a good idea, because Python support is nowadays
> considered a de-facto integral part of GDB.  For example, the .gdbinit
> file shipped with GNU Emacs uses Python without even testing that it's
> available.
> 
> Btw, the problem is not the system where GDB is compiled, the problem
> is the system on which it runs.

So how long are we expected to support such an antiquated system?  It's already 11 years beyond it's final maintenance update and continuing to pretend we can support it is clearly holding up development of gdb.

If the runtime can't support critical improvements of gdb, then surely it's time to reconsider our priorities.  We're not stopping people from running older versions of gdb after all.

R.