On 8 Dec 2009, at 13:44, Ben Finney wrote:

* A new attribute ‘sys.import_orphaned_bytecode’. If set ‘True’, the
interpreter follows the current behaviour. If ‘False’, any bytecode
file satisfies an import only if it has a corresponding source file
(where “corresponding” means “this source file would, if compiled,
result in a bytecode file replacing this one”).

One problem with a sys flag is that it's a global setting. Suppose a package is distributed with only pyc/pyo files, then the top-level __init__.py might flip the switch such that its sub-files can get imported from the pyc/pyo files. But you wouldnt want that flag to persist beyond that.

Another idea is to use a new file extension, which isnt the best solution, but allows the creator to explicitly set what behavior they intended for their files:

* if a foo.py file exists, then use the existing foo.pyc/pyo as is done today

* if a foo.py file does not exist, but a foo.pyxxx exists, use it (but file.pyc/pyo is never used, unlike today)

(pyxxx is a placeholder for whatever would be a reasonable name)

Jared