Python on Windows is Okay, Actually

Steve Dower

https://2018.northbaypython.org/schedule/presentation/6/

Packages that won't install, encodings that don't work, installers that ask too many questions, and having to own a PC are all great reasons to just ignore Windows. Or they would be, if they were true.

Despite community perception, more than half of Python usage still happens on Windows, including web development, system administration, and data science, just like on Linux and Mac. And for the most part, Python works the same regardless of what operating system you happen to be using. Still, many library developers will unnecessarily exclude half of their potential audience by not even attempting to be compatible.

This session will walk through the things to be aware of when creating cross-platform libraries. From simple things like using `pathlib` rather than `bytes`, through to all the ways you can get builds and tests running on Windows for free, by the end of this session you will have a checklist of easy tasks for your project that will really enable the whole Python world to benefit from your work.

A Python conference north of the Golden Gate


North Bay Python is a single-track conference with a carefully curated set of talks representing the diverse Python community and their different areas of interest.

If a topic is less to your interest, or you've met some people you really want to sit down and chat with, we'll have plenty of areas away from the main theatre to catch up and chat.

Our goal is to keep prices as low as possible. That means we won't be catering lunch. Instead, you can look forward to extra-long lunch breaks you can use to explore all of the great food options around the venue.