3.10 is EOL and no longer supported: https://devguide.python.org/versions/

My policy is that if the Python version isn't supported then I don't have to take steps to support it either.

If you're stuck with 3.10 that's fine, you'll just be stuck with the versions of my packages that I released prior to October 2026.

Thankfully Python packaging has metadata which means "pip install X" will continue to get you the most recent release which is compatible with your Python version.

Realizing this is the thing that gave me the freedom to finally stop worrying about all of those stale installations.

Older versions of Python packages don't stop being available, they just become unsupported. Nothing stops you from using those versions that still work fine on your older Python installation. It's unreasonable to expect free support indefinitely for open-source packages, especially since that would produce an O(n^2) maintenance burden with the emergence of new Python releases.

Even relatively conservative Linux distros, for example, will only leave you with an unsupported-by-the-core-devs system Python for a small fraction of the cycle. For example, Mint 21.x (which distributes Python 3.10) will be EOL at the end of next April.

If you're writing or packaging software for a specific OS that bundles an old Python, then there's sometimes a reasonable argument for wanting to retain compatibility with that old Python. But now that uv has started bringing some sanity and relative ease to Python package management, it's not much hassle for end users to start running a Python newer than the one shipped by the OS when they want to use a tool or library that requires a newer Python or performs better on a newer Python.

You have to draw the line somewhere though. Python 3.10 is over 5 years old. Is upgrading your system once every 5 years too much to ask? Should webapps still support Internet Explorer 6?