Deprecate bdist_wininst .exe installers (#1939)

CHANGES.txt

@@ -8,9 +8,13 @@ All changes can be found via git - eg, for all changes afer a build:
 or
     https://github.com/mhammond/pywin32/compare/b3xx...main
 
+As of build 305, installation .exe files have been deprecated; see
+https://mhammond.github.io/pywin32_installers.html.
 
 Coming in build 305, as yet unreleased
 --------------------------------------
+* Installation .exe files were deprecated.
+
 * @kxrob put a lot of work towards removing use of the deprecated Unicode
   API so we can build on Python 3.12. This should be largely invisible, but
   please report any unintended consequences.

README.md

@@ -33,14 +33,12 @@ closed. For such issues, please email the
 note that you must be subscribed to the list before posting.
 
 ## Binaries
-By far the easiest way to use pywin32 is to grab binaries from the [most recent release](https://github.com/mhammond/pywin32/releases)
-
-Note that there are no 32-bit binary installers for 3.10 and later - see
-[this github issue](https://github.com/mhammond/pywin32/issues/1805)
+[Binary releases are deprecated.](https://mhammond.github.io/pywin32_installers.html)
+While they are still provided, [find them here](https://github.com/mhammond/pywin32/releases)
 
 ## Installing via PIP
 
-You can install pywin32 via pip:
+You should install pywin32 via pip:
 > pip install pywin32
 
 If you encounter any problems when upgrading (eg, "module not found" errors or similar), you

pywin32_postinstall.py

@@ -579,6 +579,15 @@ def install(lib_dir):
         pass
     print("The pywin32 extensions were successfully installed.")
 
+    if is_bdist_wininst:
+        # Open a web page with info about the .exe installers being deprecated.
+        import webbrowser
+
+        try:
+            webbrowser.open("https://mhammond.github.io/pywin32_installers.html")
+        except webbrowser.Error:
+            print("Please visit https://mhammond.github.io/pywin32_installers.html")
+
 
 def uninstall(lib_dir):
     # First ensure our system modules are loaded from pywin32_system, so