[csw-maintainers] Python pyconfig.h headers

[Ben Walton]

Excerpts from Maciej (Matchek) Bliziński's message of Sat Mar 03 04:28:48 -0500 2012:

> Python installs a file called pyconfig.h which contains information
> it has gathered about the OS during build time. This includes bits
> like _XOPEN_SOURCE, which are determined by what standards does the
> build host support. That changes from one Solaris version to
> another, and I've verified that if you build on Solaris 9, you get
> different contents of pyconfig.h than when you build on Solaris
> 10. This seems to me like we should supply at least separate
> python_dev packages for 9 and 10, if not the whole package.

Does it negatively impact the ability of a user to build a binary egg
locally?  If so, I'd say it's worth either dropping 9 support[1] or
providing platform specific packages.  If not, I'd just carry on as
is.

Does python have an equivalent of rbconfig.rb to help build binary
eggs?

Thanks
-Ben

[1] I understand Peter's sentiment here too but if it builds easily on
    9 then it's still a benefit to some sites.  The rule of thumb I'm
    using is that if it isn't clean on 9 but is on 10, I drop 9
    without hestiation.  If it builds cleanly on 9 (or the fix for 10
    would also help 9), I still build for 9.
--
Ben Walton
Systems Programmer - CHASS
University of Toronto
C:416.407.5610 | W:416.978.4302