Thanks to the Python Software Foundation

In order to maintain Stackless Python, I need to have access to the Microsoft development tools in order to do things like build installers. The free versions available these days are great, but unfortunately, they don't provide the range of functionality I need. And as such, I have been unable to release installers for recent releases.


Fortunately, Steve Holden has been arranging for Microsoft to donate licenses to people who support use of Python on Windows, and I just received an email today letting me know that I have an MSDN subscription for the next year. You can see the two versions of Visual Studio required for Python in the screenshot above (Visual Studio 2003 .NET and 2008).

C.C.P. was unable to lend me some of their internal licenses, but they did offer to buy me copies of the required versions of Visual Studio. While this would be nicer for me personally, the MSDN subscription gives me access to other things like Windows 7 which is nicer for Stackless Python, assuming I have the time to make use of them.

Anyway, thanks again to Steve and the PSF!

Edit: 2009-09-08: Added picture of validated MSDN subscription contents and comments about VS version availability.