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[Python-Dev] why is not 64-bit installer the default download link for Windows?

Antoine Pitrou solipsis at pitrou.net
Mon Jul 9 12:22:12 EDT 2018 
On Mon, 9 Jul 2018 09:01:00 -0700
Steve Dower <steve.dower at python.org> wrote:

> On 09Jul2018 0803, Cosimo Lupo wrote:
> > If one goes to httWhps://www.python.org/downloads 
> > <https://www.python.org/downloads> from a Windows browser, the default 
> > download URL is for the 32-bit installer instead of the 64-bit one.
> > I wonder why is this still the case?
> > Shouldn't we encourage new Windows users (who may not even know the 
> > distinction between the two architectures) to use the 64-bit version of 
> > Python, since most likely they can?  
> 
> The difficulty is that they *definitely* can use the 32-bit version, and 
> those few who are on older machines or older installs of Windows may not 
> understand why the link we provide didn't work for them.
> 
>  From the various telemetry I've seen (and I work at Microsoft, so I 
> have better access than most :) ), there is still enough 32-bit Windows 
> out there that I'm not confident enough with "most likely". I haven't 
> checked any location data (not even sure if we've got it), but I'd guess 
> that there's higher 32-bit usage among less privileged countries and people.
> 
> I've thought a bit about making a single installer that can offer the 
> option of 32-bit/64-bit at install time, but I don't actually think it's 
> that big a problem to deserve that much effort as a solution.
> 
> Perhaps we should add non-button text below the button saying "Get the 
> 64-bit version"?

Or perhaps the 32-bit installer could detect a 64-bit system and add
an info box at the beginning?

Regards

Antoine.
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