After the core Python release team released Python 2.6.5 and 3.1.2 this past weekend, the Python team at ActiveState was hard at work to deliver the corresponding ActivePython release as soon as possible.
We are pleased to announce the availability of both ActivePython 2.6.5.12 and ActivePython 3.1.2.3.
Without much further ado, here is what you should know about these two releases:
- PyWin32: PyWin32 is now included in the 64-bit & Python3 builds! Since we recently updated our PyWin32 source tree, this release comes with several bug fixes.
- PyPM: There is now an “upgrade” feature in PyPM, our beloved Python Package Manager distributed with ActivePython free of charge. What this means is that if you type “pypm upgrade” it will update all your installed Python Packages to the latest version to save you time and keep you up-to-date.
- Switch between Python versions: Also new in this 2.6 release is a new tool called pythonselect that can be used to switch between multiple ActivePython versions. This is currently only supported on MacOSX although support for other platforms and, perhaps, other Python installations, is in the roadmap (patches are welcome too!).
- Dive Into Python 3: ActivePython 3.1.2.3 now includes Mark Pilgrim’s Dive Into Python 3, the popular advanced tutorial for learning Python3. You can find it in the documentation section.
- Miscellaneous: We also updated the base Tcl/Tk version to 8.5.8; added OpenSSL and ctypes support in the 64-bit build; upgraded to openssl-0.9.8l; included Tcl/Tk development headers – among several other bug fixes with IDLE and Tkinter installation. And of course, they use the latest Python version: 2.6.5 and 3.1.2.
For the fine details, take a look at the release notes for ActivePython 2.6.5.12 and ActivePython 3.1.2.3.
Enjoy!
Title image courtesy of Atul Prajapati on Pixabay.
