MacPorts 2.9.0-beta1 now available for testing

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Preliminary testing for the handful of ports for which I am listed as
a maintainer went off without a hitch!

However, I have a question which maybe someone who is a bit more of a
Python wizard can explain for me? Note: I don't think this is an issue
with the beta at all.

For example, I performed the following (this is on a system running
the most recent Sonoma 14.3 beta with the MacPorts 2.9.0 beta
package):

% sudo port -fp uninstall --follow-dependents installed
% sudo port selfupdate
% sudo port install libressl (I do this as a libressl port
co-maintainer to preempt any TLS dependencies that may come up)
% sudo port install python312 (may as well start off fresh with the
latest and greatest! Right?)
% sudo port select --set python python312
% sudo port select --set python3 python312
% rehash (for good measure)
% sudo port install llvm-17 (again, going with the latest and greatest)

The following dependencies will be installed:

 autoconf
 automake
 brotli
 cmake
 cmake-bootstrap
 curl
 curl-ca-bundle
 icu
 libarchive
 libb2
 libcxx
 libidn2
 libpsl
 libtool
 libunistring
 libuv
 libxml2
 libyaml
 llvm_select
 lz4
 lzo2
 m4
 nghttp2
 py311-build
 py311-cython-compat
 py311-installer
 py311-packaging
 py311-pygments
 py311-pyproject_hooks
 py311-setuptools
 py311-wheel
 py311-yaml
 pygments_select
 python310
 python311
 python3_select-311
 python_select-311
 xar
 zstd
Continue? [Y/n]:

Installing llvm-17 goes OK, but:

Why are python310 and python311 considered dependencies if I already
have python312 installed and selected? Pretty sure that some other BSD
ports systems I use do not seem to regress like MacPorts in similar
dependency walks, the fact that my MacPorts now has three versions of
Python installed seems a bit wonky to me.

Anyway, maybe there isn't a good answer to this but it raised an
eyebrow so I thought I would defer to those wiser than I for an
explanation.

Thank you and I hope everyone is having a Happy 2024!