Release notes and readme for 1.5b3

Mac/ReadMe

-How to install Python 1.5a4 on your Macintosh
+How to install Python 1.5b3 on your Macintosh
 ---------------------------------------------
 
 If this is your first encounter with Python: you definitely need the
@@ -11,6 +11,19 @@ Mac-specific documentation is included in this distribution in folder
 Mac:Demo. The documentation is sparse, but it will have to serve for
 now. The documentation is in HTML format, start with index.html.
 
+Why 1.5b3?
+----------
+The reason for distributing a third beta release for the Mac (unlike for
+other platforms) is that there are still some problems. The main problem
+is that packages ("dotted import") seem to have problems when used
+under cfm68k. Other outstanding problems are tkinter problems with menus
+(all platforms) and NumPy printing problems (cfm68k). Please report your
+findings with this distribution to pythonmac-sig@python.org, so we can
+try to iron out the problems and have a normal 1.5 distribution in a few
+weeks time.
+
+The non-system-dependent part of this distribution is identical to 1.5 final.
+
 What to install
 ---------------
 
@@ -50,14 +63,16 @@ After installing
 ----------------
 
 It is probably a good idea to run the automatic tests. Start Python and
-"import test.autotest". This should not print any errors. It will,
-however, print some messages about optional features not supported.
-Running testall.py is done by double-clicking it or dropping it onto the
-interpreter.
+"import test.autotest" and "test.autotest.main()". This should not print
+any errors. It will, however, print some messages about optional
+features not supported. Running testall.py is done by double-clicking it
+or dropping it onto the interpreter.
 
-NOTE: as of 1.5a4 the tests test_time and test_strftime will
-fail. This is due to a problem with the tests. test_socket may also fail
-if you have no internet connection.
+NOTE: as of 1.5b3 the test test_strftime will fail. This is due to a
+problem with the way the MetroWerks handles %% escapes in strftime()
+strings, and there is little I can do about it. test_socket may also
+fail if you have no internet connection. Please also read the Relnotes
+file for other minor problems with this distribution.
 
 Next, try "compileall.py" from :Lib to create all .pyc files (but this
 isn't really important).
@@ -88,8 +103,8 @@ Uninstalling
 ------------
 
 Two items are installed in the system folder: the interpreter shared
-library "PythonCore 1.5a4" lives in the Extensions folder and the
-"Python 1.5a4 Preferences" file in the Preferences folder. All the rest
+library "PythonCore 1.5b3" lives in the Extensions folder and the
+"Python 1.5b3 Preferences" file in the Preferences folder. All the rest
 of Python lives in the folder you installed in.
 
 Things to see
@@ -122,9 +137,9 @@ that this means you can keep your older version around if you are unsure
 whether to upgrade. The bad news is that your old preference settings
 are lost and you have to set them again.
 
-After you are satisfied that 1.5a4 works as expected you can trash
+After you are satisfied that 1.5b2 works as expected you can trash
 anything in the system folder that has "python" in the name and not
-"1.5a4".
+"1.5b2".
 
 The installer
 -------------
@@ -147,10 +162,7 @@ Feedback
 --------
 
 Send bug reports, suggestions, contributions and fanmail to
-<jack@cwi.nl>. Be warned however that I'm on holiday for most of october
-and november, so I may not always respond immedeately.
-
-A better way to discuss MacPython is to join the
+<jack@cwi.nl>. However, a better way to discuss MacPython is to join the
 <pythonmac-sig@python.org> mailing list, which is explicitly meant for
 this purpose.
 

Mac/ReadMe-dev

+This is the Python 1.5b3 plugin development distribution. It should be loaded
+on top of a 1.5b3 binary distribution and enables you to create plugin modules
+without having a full source distribution available. The contents of folders
+whose names start with INTO should be merged into the corresponding folders.
+
+One example project is included, PlugIns:xx.prj
+
+More information can be found in the following files:
+
+Mac:ReadMe				ReadMe file for the normal (binary) distribution
+Relnotes				Release notes, listing changes from previous releases
+Readmefiles				Readme files as supplied by Guido (platform independent changes)
+Mac:Demo:building.html	Instructions for building Python, folder structure, etc.
+
+This distribution usually lives somewhere under http://www.cwi.nl/~jack/macpython.html
+or ftp://ftp.cwi.nl/pub/jack/python/mac.
+
+	
+	Jack Jansen, <jack@cwi.nl>, 02-Jan-98

Mac/ReadMe-src

+This is the Python 1.5b3 source distribution. More information can be found
+in the following files:
+
+Mac:ReadMe				ReadMe file for the normal (binary) distribution
+Relnotes				Release notes, listing changes from previous releases
+Readmefiles				Readme files as supplied by Guido (platform independent changes)
+Mac:Demo:building.html	Instructions for building Python, folder structure, etc.
+
+This distribution usually lives somewhere under http://www.cwi.nl/~jack/macpython.html
+or ftp://ftp.cwi.nl/pub/jack/python/mac.
+
+	
+	Jack Jansen, <jack@cwi.nl>, 02-Jan-98

Mac/Relnotes

-	Release notes for MacPython 1.5a4
+	Release notes for MacPython 1.5b3
 	---------------------------------
+	
+Open Issues and bugs:
+
+- Packages ("dotted import") appears to have problems for the cfm68k version
+  of MacPython. Please report anything of interest you find as soon as possible,
+  preferrably to pythonmac-sig@python.org.
+- import test.autotest fails the test_strftime test on %%. This is a bug in the
+  MetroWerks C strftime() routine. Test_re takes a loooooooooong time, by the way.
+- Tk menus may or may not work. Please let me know.
+- Occasionally Python becomes non-reactive to mouseclicks after switching it to
+  background and foreground again. If you experience this please let me know,
+  explaining the circumstances.
+- Printing a NumPy "array([1.2])" may cause a crash in cfm68k-Python. If you have
+  a 68k machine, a MetroWerks debugger, time and interest in NumPy: please let me
+  know and I'll ask you to help hunting this bug.
+
+Changes since the previous version:
 
 Here are the mac-specific changes since MacPython 1.4, with end-user-visible
 changes near the top and API changes and other things that are developer-only
-more to the bottom. Changes marked with a [*] are new changes, since
-1.5a3. And, of course, all Guido's 1.5a4 changes are incorporated.
+more to the bottom. Changes marked with a [*] are new changes since
+1.5a3 (there has not been a MacPython 1.5b1). And, of course, all Guido's
+1.5-final changes are incorporated.
 
-- Balloon help in set-preferences dialog and EditPythonPrefs [*]
-- An interface to the Help Maganer has been added [*]
+- Moved Mac:Lib:toolbox and scripting to lib-toolbox and lib-scripting, analogous
+  to Guido's changes. Initial sys.path settings reflect this change [*]
+- Added cPickle and cStringIO modules [*]
+- Balloon help in set-preferences dialog and EditPythonPrefs
+- An interface to the Help Maganer has been added
 - New modules "preferences" and "pythonprefs" which allow access to
   Python preferences and implements a general preference-handling
-  framework. New EditPythonPrefs uses this. [*]
+  framework. New EditPythonPrefs uses this.
 - Applescript suite modules are now in a separate Mac:Lib:scripting
-  folder [*]
-- Most modules now export their type objects [*]
-- MacOS.SysBeep() and MacOS.GetTicks() added [*]
-- sys.prefix and sys.exec_prefix are now set correctly [*]
+  folder
+- Most modules now export their type objects
+- MacOS.SysBeep() and MacOS.GetTicks() added
+- sys.prefix and sys.exec_prefix are now set correctly
 - Installation is now through an installer 
 - mkapplet and MkPluginAliases have been renamed to BuildApplet and
   ConfigurePython 
@@ -67,7 +88,7 @@ more to the bottom. Changes marked with a [*] are new changes, since
 - img: better error handling for truncated images and such
 - img: imgop.unpack() can unpack formats with multiple pixels per byte
 
-- build numbers work and are maintained in macbuildno.h by fullbuild.py [*]
+- build numbers work and are maintained in macbuildno.h by fullbuild.py
 - We now use CW Pro 1, with multitarget projects and such goodies 
 - fixed xx plugin project for cfm68k 
 - All files updated to new Py_ naming convention

Mac/Relnotes-source

-How to build Python from a source distribution.
------------------------------------------------
-
-NOTE: These notes are for building a Python from a machine-independent
-source distribution, *not* for building a Python from a mac-specific
-source distribution.
-
-You will need a Python source distribution in tar form. So, the
-first thing you need is a tar program for the mac. Suntar is
-reasonable and can be found at the info-mac sites. Edit the
-preferences to make it extract C sources with creator CWIE
-and .py files as text files with creator Pyth, this will save
-you work later.
-
-You will also need CodeWarrior 11. If you have another development
-environment you are on your own, basically.
-
-When you've extracted everything you may have to unpack the
-.hqx files in Mac:Resources and Mac:mwerks:Projects (but suntar
-may have done this for you already).
-
-You have to remove Modules:fmmodule.c, the SGI fm module, which has a
-name conflict with the Mac Fmmodule.c.
-
-
-Next, create your build directories. I use the following naming
-convention:
-build.macppc.shared		PowerPC shared-library
-build.mac68k.stand		68K non-shared
-and there are also projects for ppc standalone and some others, they
-may be useful at times. The project files expect the build directories
-to be located right in the main python folder, if you put them elsewhere
-you will have to edit the access paths.
-
-Move MWCPythonCoreRuntime.µ, PythonCore.µ, PythonPPC.µ and
-PythonApplet.µ (from the Mac:mwerks:projects folder) to
-build.macppc.shared, move Python68K.µ to build.mac68k.stand.
-
-Now, your folder structure more-or-less resembles that of what comes
-with the mac source distribution. Read the file Mac:Demo:building.html
-for further instructions.
-
-			Jack Jansen, CWI, 28 May 1997.