fix: always pull versions from metadata

[henryiii]

Close #779. A random attribute can move around, but we can always ask for the metadata version.

[chrysle]

Have you already considered adding a compat module?

[henryiii]

Of course. https://learn.scientific-python.org/development/patterns/backports/

I’ll probably do that in the future.

[henryiii]

@chrysle though, since I expect to see if we are okay dropping 3.7 after the next release, and basically every comparison I see is based on < 3.8, it might not be worth adding a compat module. I'll probably wait to see after next release.

[chrysle]

I'll probably wait to see after next release.

Sounds good. If you need some help, I'm available for hire ;-)

https://learn.scientific-python.org/development/patterns/backports/

Good article, by the way.

[edgarrmondragon]

fwiw there's still ~23% of Nox downloads on 3.7, though I guess users could just use an older Nox if they're stuck on an EOL Python

(Disregard the August downloads, they're incomplete)

[henryiii]

though I guess users could just use an older Nox if they're stuck on an EOL Python

Yep. Though that’s why I’d like to get this release out supporting 3.7, since we have already put the effort in. In general, it’s not always helpful to keep supporting EoL Pythons, as you can easily break something that would have worked if you just dropped the older Python. But the last release should be a good one. :)