Python shebang policy

[Eric S. Raymond]

Heads up, Mark!  Need a policy check from you wearing your
external-relations hat.

In response to GitLab issue $471: Default to python3...

https://gitlab.com/NTPsec/ntpsec/issues/471

...I just added the following to our advice for packegers.

................................................................
== Hacking Python shebangs ==

The shebang lines in our Python scripts point to "python".  Part of
our standard tests check that you can change that to "python3" without
breaking anything.

We are aware that the Python 3 transition is well advanced.  We are
also aware that PEP394 strongly urges all distributors to point
'python' at Python 2.

This leaves us with a choice to either (a) change the shebangs to
python3 ourselves, causing breakage to users stuck with Python 2
and installing from source, or (b) not change them, leaving it up
to distro maintainers to hack them in whatever way is appropriate for
their distro's Python policy.

We think the choice that minimizes overall pain, and directs it to
the party best able to cope, is clear.  We choose (b).
................................................................

Any comment or objection?
-- 
		<a href="http://www.catb.org/~esr/">Eric S. Raymond</a>

Society in every state is a blessing, but government even in its best
state is but a necessary evil; in its worst state an intolerable one;
for when we suffer, or are exposed to the same miseries *by a
government*, which we might expect in a country *without government*,
our calamities is heightened by reflecting that we furnish the means
by which we suffer."		-- Thomas Paine