From: barry@zope.com (Barry A. Warsaw) To: python-list@python.org Subject: RELEASED: Python 2.2a4 is out! Date: Fri, 28 Sep 2001 13:02:52 -0400 Cc: python-dev@python.org We've released Python 2.2a4, the fourth and likely last alpha of Python 2.2, for your erudition, escapism, or enthusiastic epithets. Download it from: http://www.python.org/2.2/ Give it a good try, and report what breaks to the bug tracker: http://sourceforge.net/bugs/?group_id=5470 New features in this release include: - pydoc and inspect are now aware of new-style classes - ExtensionClass modules can now safely be used with Python 2.2 and Zope 2.4.1 now works with Python 2.2. - For new-style classes, what was previously called __getattr__ is now called __getattribute__, since its semantics are different than classic __getattr__. - The builtin file type can now be subclassed. "file" is the name of a builtin type, file() is a builtin constructor, and has the same signature as builtin open(). - More support for iterators in some standard classes. - A new package called "email" has been added; a new module called SimpleXMLRPCServer has been added; the codecs module has grown four new helper APIs; smtplib now supports various authentication and security features; a new module called hmac has been added... - Large file support (LFS) is now automatic when the underlying platform supports it. - Compaq's iPAQ handheld, running the "familiar" Linux distribution (http://familiar.handhelds.org) is supported. As usual, Andrew Kuchling is writing a gentle introduction to the most important changes (currently excluding type/class unification), titled "What's New in Python 2.2": http://www.amk.ca/python/2.2/ There is an introduction to the type/class unification at: http://www.python.org/2.2/descrintro.html Thanks to everybody who contributed to this release, including all the 2.2 alpha 1, 2, and 3 testers! Enjoy! -Barry -- http://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/python-list