# Remove 'SO' config variable in sysconfig.py **URL:** \ **Category:** Ideas\ **Created:** [April 18, 2022, 2:20pm UTC](https://discuss.python.org/t/remove-so-config-variable-in-sysconfig-py/15142 "2022-04-18T14:20:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![bryanweber](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/discuss.python.org/bryanweber/32/6914_2.png) [@bryanweber](https://discuss.python.org/u/bryanweber)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2022, 2:20pm UTC](https://discuss.python.org/t/remove-so-config-variable-in-sysconfig-py/15142/1 "2022-04-18T14:20:10Z")
In bpo-19555 (["SO" config var not getting set · Issue #63754 · python/cpython · GitHub](https://github.com/python/cpython/issues/63754)), @warsaw deprecated the `SO` configuration variable in `sysconfig.py` and suggested it could be removed after Python 3.5. It seems that never happened. I know that system packagers sometimes change sysconfig.py or its behavior to customize for their distribution. So I wanted to bring up a discussion here before opening a pull request to remove that code. I looked for other issues and discussions, but didn’t find anything since the original report. Please let me know if I missed something! ---
**Author:** ![barry](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/discuss.python.org/barry/32/42_2.png) [@barry](https://discuss.python.org/u/barry)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2022, 4:50pm UTC](https://discuss.python.org/t/remove-so-config-variable-in-sysconfig-py/15142/2 "2022-04-18T16:50:12Z")
Makes sense to me. It’s not infrequent that such cleanups don’t happen. ---
**Author:** ![bryanweber](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/discuss.python.org/bryanweber/32/6914_2.png) [@bryanweber](https://discuss.python.org/u/bryanweber)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2022, 5:38pm UTC](https://discuss.python.org/t/remove-so-config-variable-in-sysconfig-py/15142/3 "2022-04-18T17:38:15Z")
@barry Thank you for replying! Should I make an issue on GH first? I’ve never contributed to CPython before, and this change removes 42 LOC, so it’s right on the border of trivial to me 😄 ---
**Author:** ![barry](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/discuss.python.org/barry/32/42_2.png) [@barry](https://discuss.python.org/u/barry)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2022, 6:02pm UTC](https://discuss.python.org/t/remove-so-config-variable-in-sysconfig-py/15142/4 "2022-04-18T18:02:54Z")
Yes, please do create an issue first. Tag [me](https://github.com/warsaw) on both the issue and PR and I will happily review it. Thanks and yes, this is a great first contribution to Python. Have you signed the [CLA](https://devguide.python.org/pullrequest/#cla)? ---
**Author:** ![bryanweber](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/discuss.python.org/bryanweber/32/6914_2.png) [@bryanweber](https://discuss.python.org/u/bryanweber)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2022, 7:25pm UTC](https://discuss.python.org/t/remove-so-config-variable-in-sysconfig-py/15142/5 "2022-04-18T19:25:58Z")
Thanks @barry! Done and done. I just signed the CLA from the [PR](https://github.com/python/cpython/pull/91671). ---
**Author:** ![barry](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/discuss.python.org/barry/32/42_2.png) [@barry](https://discuss.python.org/u/barry)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2022, 9:01pm UTC](https://discuss.python.org/t/remove-so-config-variable-in-sysconfig-py/15142/6 "2022-04-18T21:01:58Z")
Approved and merged, with @merwok 's news file edit. Congratulations and thanks! ---
**Author:** ![hroncok](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/discuss.python.org/hroncok/32/18696_2.png) [@hroncok](https://discuss.python.org/u/hroncok)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2022, 2:46pm UTC](https://discuss.python.org/t/remove-so-config-variable-in-sysconfig-py/15142/7 "2022-05-17T14:46:43Z")
What is the actual point of removing a single thing from distutils when distutils are going to be removed in the next release? Wouldn’t it be better to keep the deprecated module as is? ---
**Author:** ![hroncok](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/discuss.python.org/hroncok/32/18696_2.png) [@hroncok](https://discuss.python.org/u/hroncok)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2022, 2:55pm UTC](https://discuss.python.org/t/remove-so-config-variable-in-sysconfig-py/15142/8 "2022-05-17T14:55:28Z")
And I reply to myself. This is removed from sysconfig, and distutils only inherited the change. Sorry for the noise.