manual: document Python version support status

Clarify to users what versions of Python are supported and until when.
This will make it easier for us to decide what versions to support.

* doc/automake.texi: Add Supported Python versions section.

diff --git a/doc/automake.texi b/doc/automake.texi
index df2b46dfaa12de357e5b8b53f22fd524c59383fc..4a2c17fa904407b563d5820f8521eda0d91c83c6 100644 (file)
--- a/doc/automake.texi
+++ b/doc/automake.texi
@@ -7967,6 +7967,59 @@ manual has a section with more details on this topic
 Variables, autoconf, The Autoconf Manual}).  See also @ref{Hard-Coded
 Install Paths}.
 
+@menu
+* Supported Python versions::
+@end menu
+
+@node Supported Python versions
+@subsection Supported versions
+
+Automake guarantees releases will support all Python versions that are still
+supported by the Python project at the time of the Automake release.  Support
+for EOL versions of Python are not guaranteed, but will be considered as long
+as it is not onerous to do so, and there are large supported distros including
+them.  If you need to support older Python versions, please use a previous
+Automake release.
+
+Here are the current support plans.
+
+@multitable {2.0 -- 3.5} {Unsupported}
+@headitem Version @tab Status
+@item 0.x
+@tab Not supported
+@item 1.x
+@tab Not supported
+@item 2.0--2.6
+@tab Untested, but should work
+@item 2.7
+@c Debian Bullseye goes EOL in Apr 2026.
+@tab Supported (until Apr 2026)
+@item 3.0--3.3
+@tab Untested, but should work
+@item 3.4
+@c Ubuntu Trusty goes EOL in Apr 2022.
+@tab Supported (until Apr 2022)
+@item 3.5
+@c Ubuntu Xenial goes EOL in Apr 2024.
+@tab Supported (until Apr 2024)
+@item 3.6
+@c Ubuntu Bionic goes EOL in Apr 2028.
+@tab Supported (until Apr 2028)
+@item 3.7
+@c Debian Buster goes EOL in Apr 2024.
+@c But should support at least as long as previous Python version?
+@tab Supported (until Apr 2028)
+@item 3.8
+@c Ubuntu Focal goes EOL in Apr 2030
+@tab Supported (until Apr 2030)
+@item 3.9
+@c Debian Bullseye goes EOL in Apr 2026.
+@c But should support at least as long as previous Python version?
+@tab Supported (until Apr 2030)
+@item 3.10
+@c But should support at least as long as previous Python version?
+@tab Supported (until Apr 2030)
+@end multitable
 
 @node Documentation
 @chapter Building documentation