Hi,

I can see that python still doesn't support mingw environnment whil
during past years some people provided some patch.
I wanted recently to compile Python-3.0.1 on mingw and I have found a
patch in a svn repository of a opensource project(don't remember which
one)- So I attach it and I hope it will studied by python dev.
Generally it's not very difficult, you should add some #ifdef
__MINGW32__ when needeed and hack around these lines.
Don't understand you still don't support it.

So this patch is a first step because it doesn't work very well, I mean
I had to copy manually errmap.h from PC to include folder.
And after I get an issue :

gcc -L/usr/local/lib  -o python.exe \
                Modules/python.o \
                libpython3.0.a    -lm
Could not find platform independent libraries <prefix>
Could not find platform dependent libraries <exec_prefix>
Consider setting $PYTHONHOME to <prefix>[:<exec_prefix>]
Fatal Python error: Py_Initialize: can't initialize sys standard streams
ImportError: No module named encodings.utf_8

This application has requested the Runtime to terminate it in an unusual
way.
Please contact the application's support team for more information.
make: *** [sharedmods] Error 3

> Don't understand you still don't support it.

Primarily because the patches that have been contributed don't work
well. We see no point in adding patches that don't work, and prefer
to add only patches that actually do work.

quote : "Primarily because the patches that have been contributed don't
work well. " :)

In a few days, when 3.1 comes out, 3.0 will be mostly dead.
I think it would be more useful to put energy into a 3.1 port.

Other thoughts:

Your patch amounts to a in-development version of a new feature. To me,
that belongs on a separate branch or repository where those interested
can work on it. I am surprised that no one has set up a py-mingw project
on SourceForge, Google Code, or wherever, if indeed no one has. If not,
someone should. New modules from 3rd party developers are expected to be
publicly released for testing and use for some months, at least, before
adoption. Though it is not my decision, I would require the same of a
new port

I am not sure that minor-platform code like this belongs in the central
repository, especially when we transition to mercurial, where central
repository loses some of its meaning. To me, every ifdef from yet
another system makes the code harder to read.

So I recommend that you think in terms of maintaining a separate
Py-Mingw mecurial or whatever repository indefinitely as a public
project site where you and others interested can have your own wiki,
tracker, mail list, and release schedule -- all without permission from
the PSF developers.

I notice that your patch has a lot of FIXMEs. I presume that they only
apply to mingw, so that would be wrong for inclusion into the core. The
freedom to put platform-specific notes in the code is to me a reason to
have a platform-specific repository.

@Brian,Tim any comments on this?  Out of curiosity how does cygwin manage Python?

None from me. Not familiar with what cygwin does.

This issue has likely been superseded by more recent activity to support mingw, for example, activity tracked in Issue17605.  Roumen?