Since I realise that I'm in the minority on this issue, let me point out that the (at the time) vice president of the FSF has written about this same problem, and I also knew a former Nokia developer who felt similarly-- about the Python part, not OpenBSD.

OpenBSD is my favourite operating system. It's new to me, I've spent time with NetBSD and FreeBSD, and 6.8 may mean I'm increasing the time I spend with NetBSD.

The main thing I need an operating system for is running PyPy. Python2 will do in a pinch, but I realise the Python Foundation (while getting paid by Microsoft) has abandoned Python2. No problem, right? PyPy2 fulfils my needs.

Only in FreeBSD and in OpenBSD, and probably in NetBSD if this keeps up, PyPy is deprecated because Python 2 is-- and Python 2 is used to build PyPy.

Essentially, PyPy2 is a well-maintained Python2. All the projects that need Python2 may find it easier to port to PyPy than Python3. I've already got a Python3 port of my favourite software, but it is certainly inferior-- I tested it for about half a year (I'm also the author.)

I am not interested in the Python Foundation's hegemony.

Python 2 is needed to build PyPy, but FreeBSD and NetBSD have Linux compatibility layers, and there is a pre-built (portable) PyPy2 for GNU/Linux.

Today, I installed BSD over my last GNU/Linux installation. Good riddance. But I wish I'd installed 6.7 instead of 6.8, because 6.8 is the first version of OpenBSD that lacks Python2. That wouldn't bother me if it had PyPy2 instead.

Again, PyPy2 is actively maintained. So not building it because it needs Python 2 to build is silly, but that's how things are working in BSD. It's a big catch 22.

I've talked to FreeBSD maintainers about this-- that was the first BSD I isntalled. I've talked to the person who did the port for Python2 or PyPy in OpenBSD, and I've talked to the PyPY maintainers.

This seems unresolved. I really won't enjoy computing until I can use PyPy again. I may eventually ditch my own favourite language and create a new one, based on something else-- but right now, this is very depressing.

I've been waiting for years to ditch Linux now. It's a pretty hollow victory with this taking place. But it was my choice to use OpenBSD 6.8 as the reason to stop using my last GNU/Linux install.

If I'd just installed 6.7, I would be a lot happier right now. I was excited about 6.8, but I knew this was a possibility.

NetBSD is a possible fix, until they do this too. I almost wish there was binary compatibility and I could just copy Python from NetBSD to OpenBSD-- but there are pretty good reasons that binaries are not compatible. I might try copying Python from 6.7 to 6.8, but I know there are reasons that might not work (and it's certainly no good for production if it works, but that's a minor concern.)

I won't miss GNU/Linux. I DO miss Python. And I have no interest in Python 3. I'd rather use a different language-- but I watch those closely, and I don't love most of them.

For example, I started working on a somewhat different version of my Python software in JavaScript. It's a bit apples and oranges, but it shows the amount of trouble I'm willing to go to sometimes.

Anyway, first impressions of OpenBSD 6.8:

It's my favourite operating system in the world. I hate it.

I'm not saying this won't improve. I bet it takes years to get fixed though. The Python Foundation is incredibly arrogant; it's one thing to ditch software people want and need. That's how it goes, it's not their job to do work that doesn't suit them.

The way they've campaigned against anybody working on compatibility is the incredibly selfish part. Projects like Trinity (KDE 3.5 fork) and MATE (GNOME 2 fork) and all projects that work hard to maintain things that were abandoned by devs but not fans-- they deserve more respect.

PyPy deserves better, so do its users. I hope the PyPy devs will make a portable PyPy for OpenBSD-- they did one for FreeBSD, but not in a while.

I've known about Python 3 for years-- there are computer science majors who aren't convinced it's better, I'm thoroughly convinced it's not. Python 3 is pushed on people who don't want it. "You'll like it if you just" "It's really not that hard to" NO. It's not even true. It's only true for some, and by waving away the many people it's most certainly not true for, it becomes a circular argument.

Long live PyPy. And hooray for the Linux compatibility layer (we really shouldn't need it, but sometimes it's nice.) It's not in OpenBSD anymore, NetBSD still has it.