[Python-3000] bytes & Py_TPFLAGS_BASETYPE

[Mathieu Fenniak]

Hi everyone,

I'd like to be able to derive from the bytes type, but this currently  
isn't possible due to it missing the Py_TPFLAGS_BASETYPE.  A comment  
next to the flags indicates that this class is "sealed / final".  I  
tried to search this list for some information on this, but I  
couldn't find any relevant posts.  Why is this type "sealed"?

I've experimented by adding the basetype flag to the type (with a  
recent svn checkout).  Python's test suite continues to run without  
any errors after this change.  My own project's test suite works  
flawlessly with a bytes derived type, as well.  I expected to  
encounter some error or difficulty that would explain why this type  
wasn't usable as a base type, but it seems to work great.

Mathieu