Options for running a legacy python 2.7 app in Debian 12

[Chris Green <cl@isbd.net>]

I have an OKI scanner which has a neat little linux app for running it
from a linux desktop. However it hasn't been updated from python 2.7
days and I'm looking at ways I might get it to run on my recently
upgraded Debian 12 system.

I managed for a while to keep it running on systems which no longer
have python 2.7 by building a cxfreeze environment but this is no
longer viable.

The scanner applet builds and runs successfully on an old system I
have which runs xubuntu 18.04.

So my options seem to be:-

    Keep the xubuntu 18.04 system and run the app there via Remmina or
    something similar.  The downsides are the extra power consumption
    and the slightly clumsy interface via Remmina.

    As above but simply use X to run the app on my desktop. If this
    works it is a bit 'tidier' but still has the extra power
    consumption.

    Try the cxfreeze build again.  This may work but I think it's
    becoming less viable.

    Build the app into something like an appimage.  I've looked into
    this a bit but it feels a bit complicated and again I'm not sure
    about its long term viability.

    Run xubuntu 18.04 (or similar) in a virtual machine, I used to use
    virtualbox for running Windows XP but I haven't for a while.  It
    does rather seem overkill for just one app though.

    Is there any sort of 'ready made' python 2.7 virtual environment
    available?

    Anything else?

The ideal would be some sort of mini virtualbox type of environment
that supports python 2.7.

-- 
Chris Green
·