Python 3.8 status in focal

[Matthias Klose]

Python 3.8 is now a supported Python3 version in focal-proposed.  This is the 
first step in making Python 3.8 the default Python3 version.  Most packages in 
the stack are now built and migrated into the release pocket.  The current 
status can be tracked in

https://people.canonical.com/~ubuntu-archive/transitions/html/python3.8-add.html

About half of the "bad" packages are false positives, and are communicated in 
the Debian bug tracker.  While we still need to fix things, the packages should 
be in a state not blocking any other transitions.

For general information about Python 3.8 updates, please see 
https://wiki.debian.org/Python/Python3.8.  Please also use the proposed tagging 
when forwarding issues to Debian.

Next steps for focal are:

  - Fix ftbfs in -proposed, introduced by building for 3.8.

  - Fix autopkg tests to let python3-defaults migrate. At this
    point all autopkg tests for packages setup for multiple
    Python3 versions will be run for 3.7 and 3.8.

  - Do the first archive test rebuild with python3-defaults
    supporting both 3.7 and 3.8, and then fix issues before
    making 3.8 the default Python3 version.

Michael Hudson-Doyle
Matthias Klose