Re: [PATCH 09/10] Python: Drop support for Python 3.6

[Markus Armbruster]

Paolo Bonzini <pbonzini@redhat.com> writes:

> Python 3.6 was EOL 2021-12-31. Newer versions of upstream libraries have
> begun dropping support for this version and it is becoming more
> cumbersome to support. Avocado-framework and qemu.qmp each have their
> own reasons for wanting to drop Python 3.6, but won't until QEMU does.

In review of the original "[PATCH v3 6/6] Python: Drop support for
Python 3.6", I volunteered to rework the rationale.  Second thoughts: if
y'all think this is good enough, let's leave it there.

> Versions of Python available in our supported build platforms as of today,
> with optional versions available in parentheses:
>
> openSUSE Leap 15.4: 3.6.15 (3.9.10, 3.10.2)
> CentOS Stream 8:    3.6.8  (3.8.13, 3.9.16)
> CentOS Stream 9:    3.9.13
> Fedora 36:          3.10
> Fedora 37:          3.11
> Debian 11:          3.9.2
> Alpine 3.14, 3.15:  3.9.16
> Alpine 3.16, 3.17:  3.10.10
> Ubuntu 20.04 LTS:   3.8.10
> Ubuntu 22.04 LTS:   3.10.4
> NetBSD 9.3:         3.9.13*
> FreeBSD 12.4:       3.9.16
> FreeBSD 13.1:       3.9.16
> OpenBSD 7.2:        3.9.16
>
> Note: Our VM tests install 3.7 specifically for freebsd and netbsd; the
> default for "python" or "python3" in FreeBSD is 3.9.16. NetBSD does not
> appear to have a default meta-package, but offers several options, the
> lowest of which is 3.7.15. "python39" appears to be a pre-requisite to
> one of the other packages we request in tests/vm/netbsd.
>
> Since it is safe to under our supported platform policy, bump our
> minimum supported version of Python to 3.7.
>
> Signed-off-by: John Snow <jsnow@redhat.com>
> Signed-off-by: Paolo Bonzini <pbonzini@redhat.com>