[Python-3000] generics [was: Discussions with no PEPs]

[Talin]

Here's my proposal for what additional work should be done with respect 
to generic functions in Python 3000.

1) In the Python 3000 branch, do nothing at the current time. The 3.0 
branch already has sufficient hooks to allow 3rd-party developers to 
create their own generic function implementations.

2) Backport the argument annotations patch to the 2.X series and get it 
out to the public as quickly as possible. (According to the conversation 
I had with Guido, this should be relatively easy since the annotations 
patch was one of the first patches to diverge between 2.X and 3.0).

The reason for doing this is to let the wider community start working 
with function annotations and developing various dispatcher 
implementations now, rather than later. Of course, 2.6 isn't going to be 
coming out much sooner than 3.0 alpha, if at all - but its likely that 
2.6 will be used by a much wider audience, whereas 3.0a is likely to 
only be used by early adopters.

The release would also include a note that encourages people to 
experiment with this feature - letting them know that there's a vacuum 
here that needs to be filled.

What I want to see is a number of different generic function 
implementations that are competing for mind-share in the Python community.

3) At some point, pick the best / most popular generic function package 
and formally make it a part of Python 3.

-- Talin