[Python-3000] pep 3124 plans

[Guido van Rossum]

On 7/23/07, Phillip J. Eby <pje at telecommunity.com> wrote:
> At 11:58 AM 7/24/2007 +1200, Greg Ewing wrote:
> >A class is defined in just one place, or a limited number
> >of places if it has base classes.
>
> ...and may be subclassed in an unlimited number of places.
>
> A generic function is defined in just one place, with a limited
> number of "generic" methods typically adjoining it, and may be
> extended in an unlimited number of places.
>
> Where's the difference?

Phillip, you seem to be dead set on providing a mathematical proof
that the two are equivalent. Unfortunately, my gut tells me otherwise,
and it doesn't want to listen to mathematical proofs. It's like proofs
of God's (non-)existence. They don't work unless you're already in
agreement with the outcome.

Fact is, many people, including me, are uncomfortable with the idea
that a GF can be overridden *anywhere*. I am not letting that get in
the way of acknowledging the value of GFs, but I don't think it's
worth trying to take this fear away by attempting to prove that it is
irrational. Irrationality, as the name implies, is not susceptible to
rational argument.

I could come up with several reasons why it's not the same at all, but
I'm not going to bother, because it'll just encourage you to deny it
even harder. I think the argument (from both sides) is irrelevant;
you're wasting your valuable time and energy that would much better
directed towards updating the PEP and writing an implementation.

-- 
--Guido van Rossum (home page: http://www.python.org/~guido/)