Disable Python optimizations temporarily in final release builds to preserve assert statements and runtime checks

[cary-rowen]

Link to issue number:

This change addresses the handling of Python optimization in final release builds.

Summary of the issue:

In previous builds, Python’s optimization mode was automatically activated for final releases, which resulted in the removal of assert statements. This led to the omission of critical runtime checks in the production environment, potentially causing unexpected behavior or failure in the application.

Description of how this pull request fixes the issue:

This pull request disables Python’s optimization mode in final release builds to ensure that assert statements and important runtime checks are preserved. Although optimizations are typically desired for final releases, this is a temporary measure until we can implement a more robust way of handling runtime checks without relying on assert statements. Clear messaging has also been added to indicate that optimization will be revisited in future versions.

Testing performed:

Manual testing of the build process confirmed that Python optimizations are no longer applied, and the assert statements remain active, even in final release versions. The program runs successfully with the critical checks intact.

Known issues with pull request:

None currently known, but future work will involve reevaluating how to enable optimizations while maintaining necessary runtime validations.