Why does ActivePython exist?

Question

What is ActivePython?

From what I read , this is just standard Python with openssl and pyWin32 (on Win). I don’t think I can install them in a matter of minutes, and they don’t need most people. All other libraries mentioned (zlib, bzip2, sqlite3, Tkinter, ElementTree, ctypes, multiprocessing) are part of the main Python distribution.

Further, the tag line “ActivePython is the industry standard for Python” is not the main Python distribution “industry standard” (what does that mean?)?

And the strangest thing is that ActiveState associates it with crappy PythonWin, and not with their own most awesome Python / IDE editor, Komodo. What gives?

Actually, I never had to install ActivePython, so maybe I don’t know anything, but it seems rather inappropriate, and I often see this name on the forums or here.

Answer 1

This is a package or "distribution" of Python with some additions - not (anywhere), like Sumo, like the Enthought HUGE distribution of "Python plus everything", but still in a similar vein (and it first appeared much earlier).

I don’t think you are missing something, except perhaps the fact that David Asher (a Python enthusiast and my co-author in the Python Cookbook) used to work for CTO in ActiveState (and therefore, no doubt, pushed Python internally with other dynamic languages ​​that ActiveState focuses on), but he quit (CEO at Mozilla's email and other forms of communication company - ThunderBird, etc., in terms of programs).

Without a doubt, some firms prefer to purchase a distribution kit with commercially available support contracts, such as ActivePython, only because some purchasing departments are used in several enterprises (and / or their IT departments). If you don’t care about such problems, I don’t think you missed anything by providing ActiveState Python distro pass ;-). [[I also think about expensive enterprise distributions of Linux, Debian or Ubuntu, etc.), But then I do not do procurement, neither in the IT department, nor do I work for a very traditional enterprise ;-)]]

Answer 2

ActiveState has a long tradition of providing Windows support for Python, Tcl, and Perl: by hiring key developers (such as Mark Hammond for some time), by fixing Windows-specific bugs, and by letting employees make corrections back and sponsors Python Software Foundation.

Although it’s true that the distribution they make is pretty similar to mine, it is, as RichieHindle says: you can get paid support from ActiveState (but not from me).

Answer 3

The main feature is that you can buy a paid support contract for it.

Why is there Red Hat Enterprise Linux when you can compile everything yourself? 8 -)

For many businesses, a combination of proven open source software and a support contract from the people who create, package, and test this software are great.

Answer 4

I have been using ActivePerl for many years, and when I made the switch to Python, I naturally downloaded ActivePython. There has never been a problem with Active * distributions - they are reliable, come with several useful libraries that the underlying Python kernel does not have. They also come with a compilation of .CHM Python documentation, which is very useful.

Answer 5

Here is a letter to the python list I wrote about this a long time ago:

https://mail.python.org/pipermail/python-list/2007-July/456660.html

Basically, these details are still true. In addition, all the other answers that I saw on this question are true.

Please note that starting from version 2.6.3.7 ActivePython includes PyPM (similar to PPM for ActivePerl) to help install Python packages - - rely on the advantage over "easy_install" and "pip" (and others) to install popular binary packages.