minimum python version for test suite?

[Tom Yu]

Simo Sorce <ssorce at redhat.com> writes:

> On Tue, 2009-02-10 at 22:05 -0500, Tom Yu wrote:
>> We are considering using Python in some portions of our test suite.
>> It appears that some operating systems ship with 2.5, but some
>> slightly older ones ship with 2.3.  Apparently certain desirable
>> language features are available on 2.5 that are not available on 2.3.
>> 
>> If you are inclined to run our test suite, what versions of Python do
>> you find to be readily available on their operating systems of choice?
>> Do you find that installing a version of Python that is newer than the
>> OS-provided version to be problematic?  What do you consider to be a
>> reasonable minimum required version of Python for our test suite?
>
> I think it depends on what about the tests are related to.
> If their main aim is to verify regressions at development time you can
> certainly be a little bit more aggressive and shoot for 2.5 (or even
> 2.6).

The main aim would be using Python in regression tests intended for
developers.

> If the aim is to have automated test running as part of the build
> process to validate the bits then trying to be conservative will help
> quite a lot given build systems often rely on what is supported in the
> current OS you are building on and adding different software is cause of
> concern as it may invalidate other assumptions of the build system.

By "validation", do you mean an acceptance test for a just-built
distribution?  We currently do not have a distinct set of tests meant
as an acceptance test.  Do builders currently use our "make check"
test suite as an acceptance test?