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Summary Announcements
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Sorry for the very late and short summary but I am in extreme crunch mode right now with school (partially thanks to a research paper comparing Python to Java) and preparing for applications to doctorate programs (any recommendations for schools with a good CS dept. and language research would be appreciated).  Don't expect things to pick up again until the quarter is over (Dec. 9th is my last final).


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Summaries
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New module: subprocess
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Peter Ästrand wrote `PEP 324`_ to come up with a platform-independent way to create processes.  Originally entitled popen5, it has now been added to the stdlib as subprocess.

.. _PEP 324: http://www.python.org/peps/pep-0324.html

Contributing threads:
  - `subprocess - updated popen5 module <http://mail.python.org/pipermail/python-dev/2004-October/049270.html>`__
  - `python/dist/src/Lib subprocess.py,NONE,1.1 <http://mail.python.org/pipermail/python-dev/2004-October/049361.html>`__
  - `Wither docs for the subprocess module? <http://mail.python.org/pipermail/python-dev/2004-October/049444.html>`__

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Python 2.4.b1 is out
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`Python 2.4b1`_ has been released.  As usual please download it, run the test suite, and test it with your own code.

.. _Python 2.4b1: http://www.python.org/2.4/

Contributing threads:
  - `2.4b1 release, this Friday (AU time) -- imminent TRUNK FREEZING <http://mail.python.org/pipermail/python-dev/2004-October/049383.html>`__
  - `RELEASED Python 2.4, beta 1 <http://mail.python.org/pipermail/python-dev/2004-October/049452.html>`__
  - `TRUNK UNFROZEN (release is done) <http://mail.python.org/pipermail/python-dev/2004-October/049453.html>`__

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We need a replacement for ConfigParser
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David Goodger brought forward two patches for ConfigParser he wanted to apply.  This quickly brought up the point that ConfigParser's API is not exactly optimal.  So the decision was made to field new designs.  If you happen to have your own code lying around that handles .ini files nicely then get it cleaned up and consider proposing at as a replacement.

Some ideas have already been floated on the list but will have to wait for the next summary for mention/discussion.

Contributing threads:
  - `ConfigParser patches <http://mail.python.org/pipermail/python-dev/2004-October/049167.html>`__


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Skipped Threads
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- Guidelines for Logging Usage
- Status of undocumented distutils features in 2.4?
- Toward Python's future article
- test_pep263.py is "-kb" in CVS
- python/dist/src/Doc/whatsnew whatsnew24.tex, 1.108, 1.109
- Python on Windows 64bits?
- About the Wise installer on Windows
- Patch wanted
- python/dist/src/Objects unicodeobject.c, 2.228, 2.229
- Minor cookielib changes for 2.4b1
- proposed struct module format code addition
- Cyclic GC issues
    Just don't have the time to summarize this, but a in-depth discussion of garbage collection involving extension code and using non-Python structs.
- python-dev Summary for 2004-09-16 through 2004-09-30 [draft]
    Lead to a discussion of executing modules in packages using the new '-m' command-line flag.