This issue tracker has been migrated to GitHub, and is currently read-only.
For more information, see the GitHub FAQs in the Python's Developer Guide.

Author terry.reedy
Recipients Japsert, ned.deily, ronaldoussoren, terry.reedy
Date 2018-06-22.18:15:12
SpamBayes Score -1.0
Marked as misclassified Yes
Message-id <1529691312.2.0.56676864532.issue33942@psf.upfronthosting.co.za>
In-reply-to
Content
Jasper: when you installed 3.6.5 on your 10.11 machine, you had a choice of the 64-/32-bit installer, good back to 10.6, and newer and better 64-bit installer, good back to 10.9.  Since it seems that the latter, the new and improved option, should work for you, why did you choose the former?  Did you see the discussion under macOS users: new as of 3.6.5?  Do we need to improve it?

Ned: there is no reference anymore on https://www.python.org/downloads/release/python-365/ to https://www.python.org/download/mac/tcltk/.  There should be.  How about making the last part of "The 10.6+ variant still requires installing a third-party version of Tcl/Tk 8.5.", from 'installing' to the end, a link to that page?

Jasper: as your movie shows, we warn about TK 8.5.9 being a problem every time you start IDLE.
"""
WARNING: The version of Tcl/Tk (8.5.9) in use may be unstable.
Visit http://www.python.org/download/mac/tcltk/ for current information.
"""
Did you see this?  Did you read it?  Did you visit the page?  Did you try to follow the instructions? 

How can we make this more prominent and action inducing, without being insulting.  How about
"""
WARNING!!!     WARNING!!!     WARNING!!!     WARNING!!!     WARNING!!!

The version of Tcl/Tk (8.5.9) is ancient and obsolete!

It is almost certainly the buggy and unstable Apple version.
If so, it will eventually crash, causing tkinter and IDLE to crash.

If you continue, DO NOT REPORT the problems that result.

Instead, go to either 
1. http://www.python.org/download/mac/tcltk/
for current information on getting a newer version of Tcl/Tk 8.5;

or (recommended)
2. https://www.python.org/downloads/mac-osx/
to get the macOS 64-bit installer, which includes Tcl/Tk 8.6,
and reinstall.
"""

The last bit about re-downloading and re-installing should be added in any case.

Ned: https://www.python.org/download/mac/tcltk/ lists 8.5.9 under Alternate Tcl/Tk.  There have been multiple reports, like this one, of 8.5.9 causing crashes.  Should 8.5.9 be Not Recommended, and the Alternate column deleted?

Me: tkVersionWarning() is untested.  To do so, the full tk version (patchlevel) should be read on startup, (and added to the sign-on message), and passed to this function.  Tests could then pass in different values.

The function could return '' or message instead of False or message.
History
Date User Action Args
2018-06-22 18:15:12terry.reedysetrecipients: + terry.reedy, ronaldoussoren, ned.deily, Japsert
2018-06-22 18:15:12terry.reedysetmessageid: <1529691312.2.0.56676864532.issue33942@psf.upfronthosting.co.za>
2018-06-22 18:15:12terry.reedylinkissue33942 messages
2018-06-22 18:15:12terry.reedycreate