python-dev Summary for 2003-12-01 through 2003-12-31

Sat, 10 Jan 2004 20:38:26 -0800

python-dev Summary for 2003-12-01 through 2003-12-31
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
This is a summary of traffic on the `python-dev mailing list`_ from=20
December 1, 2003 through December 31, 2003.  It is intended to inform=20
the wider Python community of on-going developments on the list.  To=20
comment on anything mentioned here, just post to `comp.lang.python`_ (or=20
email python-list@python.org which is a gateway to the newsgroup) with a=20
subject line mentioning what you are discussing. All python-dev members=20
are interested in seeing ideas discussed by the community, so don't=20
hesitate to take a stance on something.  And if all of this really=20
interests you then get involved and join `python-dev`_!

This is the thirty-first and -second summaries written by Brett Cannon=20
(a friend of a friend actually reads this thing!  Hi, Elle).

To contact me, please send email to brett at python.org ; I do not have=20
the time to keep up on comp.lang.python and thus do not always catch=20
follow-ups posted there.

All summaries are archived at http://www.python.org/dev/summary/ .

Please note that this summary is written using reStructuredText_ which=20
can be found at http://docutils.sf.net/rst.html .  Any unfamiliar=20
punctuation is probably markup for reST_ (otherwise it is probably=20
regular expression syntax or a typo =3D); you can safely ignore it,=20
although I suggest learning reST; it's simple and is accepted for `PEP=20
markup`_ and gives some perks for the HTML output.  Also, because of the=20
wonders of programs that like to reformat text, I cannot guarantee you=20
will be able to run the text version of this summary through Docutils_=20
as-is unless it is from the original text file.

.. _PEP Markup: http://www.python.org/peps/pep-0012.html

The in-development version of the documentation for Python can be found=20
at http://www.python.org/dev/doc/devel/ and should be used when looking=20
up any documentation on something mentioned here.  PEPs (Python=20
Enhancement Proposals) are located at http://www.python.org/peps/ .  To=20
view files in the Python CVS online, go to=20
http://cvs.sourceforge.net/cgi-bin/viewcvs.cgi/python/ .  Reported bugs=20
and suggested patches can be found at the SourceForge_ project page.

The `Python Software Foundation`_ is the non-profit organization that=20
holds the intellectual property for Python.  It also tries to forward=20
the development and use of Python.  But the PSF cannot do this without=20
donations.  You can make a donation at=20
http://python.org/psf/donations.html .  Every penny helps so even a=20
small donation (you can donate through PayPal or by check) helps.

.. _python-dev: http://www.python.org/dev/
.. _SourceForge: http://sourceforge.net/tracker/?group_id=3D5470
.. _python-dev mailing list:=20
http://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/python-dev
.. _comp.lang.python: http://groups.google.com/groups?q=3Dcomp.lang.pytho=
n
.. _Docutils: http://docutils.sf.net/
.. _reST:
.. _reStructuredText: http://docutils.sf.net/rst.html
.. _Python Software Foundation: http://python.org/psf/

.. contents::

.. _last summary:=20
http://www.python.org/dev/summary/2003-10-16_2003-11-15.html

=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D
Summary Announcements
=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D
Sorry if this summary comes off as light, but I caught the flu the week=20
of Christmas and it developed into walking pneumonia which I still have.

On a more positive note, PyCon is hitting its stride.  Online=20
registration is available at http://pycon.org/dc2004 and early bird=20
registration ends January 31.  Online talk proposal submission is online=20
at http://submit.pycon.org/  and the deadline is January 15.

=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D
Summaries
=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D
----------------------------
2.3.3 released to the masses
----------------------------
`Python 2.3.3`_ has gone out the door.  Thanks to Anthony Baxter for=20
being release manager (again!) and to all of python-dev and anyone who=20
contributed code for this release.  With this being a bugfix release=20
this supercedes 2.3.2 and thus people should upgrade if possible.

.. _Python 2.3.3: http://python.org/2.3.3/

Contributing threads:
   - `2.3.3 cycle=20
<http://mail.python.org/pipermail/python-dev/2003-December/040550.html>`_=
_
   - `release23-maint branch CLOSED for release=20
<http://mail.python.org/pipermail/python-dev/2003-December/040852.html>`_=
_
   - `Berkeley support in release23-maint=20
<http://mail.python.org/pipermail/python-dev/2003-December/041004.html>`_=
_
   - `RELEASED Python 2.3.3 (release candidate 1)=20
<http://mail.python.org/pipermail/python-dev/2003-December/040740.html>`_=
_
   - `2.3.3 portability audit=20
<http://mail.python.org/pipermail/python-dev/2003-December/041167.html>`_=
_
   - `2.3.3 and beyond=20
<http://mail.python.org/pipermail/python-dev/2003-December/041183.html>`_=
_
   - `RELEASED Python 2.3.3 (final)=20
<http://mail.python.org/pipermail/python-dev/2003-December/041286.html>`_=
_
   - `status of 2.3 branch for maintenance checkins=20
<http://mail.python.org/pipermail/python-dev/2003-December/041424.html>`_=
_

----------------------------------
Pie-thon competition work ramps up
----------------------------------
`Dan Sugalski`_, project leader of the Parrot_ VM that will be used for=20
`Perl 6`_, reminded the list that the benchmark to be used for the=20
`Pie-thon`_ needed to be written since the bytecode for the benchmark=20
needed to be frozen.

So Guido wrote some benchmarks.  They are in CVS under=20
nondist/sandbox/parrotbench .

.. _Dan Sugalski: http://www.sidhe.org/~dan/blog/
.. _Parrot: http://www.parrotcode.org/
.. _Perl 6: http://dev.perl.org/perl6/
.. _Pie-thon: http://www.sidhe.org/~dan/blog/archives/000219.html

Contributing threads:
   - `Merry December=20
<http://mail.python.org/pipermail/python-dev/2003-December/040613.html>`_=
_
   - `Pie-thon benchmarks=20
<http://mail.python.org/pipermail/python-dev/2003-December/040963.html>`_=
_
   - `Pie-thon benchmark code ready=20
<http://mail.python.org/pipermail/python-dev/2003-December/041527.html>`_=
_

--------------
PyCon is a go!
--------------
http://www.pycon.org/ has gone live!  Registration_ is live (early-bird=20
ends January 31)!  Online talk proposal submission is live (deadline is=20
January 15)!

.. _Registration: http://www.pycon.org/dc2004

Contributing threads:
   - `PyCon DC 2004 - Registration about to open!=20
<http://mail.python.org/pipermail/python-dev/2003-December/040553.html>`_=
_
   - `PyCon DC 2004 - Submissions Now Open=20
<http://mail.python.org/pipermail/python-dev/2003-December/041012.html>`_=
_

----------------------------------------
operator gains attrgetter and itemgetter
----------------------------------------
The operator module has now gained two new functions: attrgetter and=20
itemgetter "which are useful for creating fast data extractor functions=20
for map(), list.sort(), itertools.groupby(), and other functions that=20
expect a function argument" according to Misc/NEWS .

Contributing threads:
   - `Re: "groupby" iterator=20
<http://mail.python.org/pipermail/python-dev/2003-December/040590.html>`_=
_

-------------------
CObjects and safety
-------------------
Michael Hudson pointed out how CObjects could be misused in Python code.=20
  Various ideas of how to make them safer by checking that the proper=20
CObject was passed were proposed.  The thread seemed to end without a=20
resolution, though.

Contributing threads:
   - `are CObjects inherently unsafe?=20
<http://mail.python.org/pipermail/python-dev/2003-December/040702.html>`_=
_

-----------------
Unicode is a pain
-----------------
Want proof?  How about the fact that you can store a character like "=E2=88=
=9A=C2=A7"=20
either as two characters ("a" followed by "previous character has an=20
umlaut") or as one ("a with an umlaut").  The former is called=20
"decomposed normal form" and is used in OS X.  Windows, of course, uses=20
the latter version.

Contributing threads:
   - `test_unicode_file failing on Mac OS X=20
<http://mail.python.org/pipermail/python-dev/2003-December/040778.html>`_=
_

------------------
Two new developers
------------------
Hye-Shik Chang has become a developer.  You probably know him from his=20
work on the CJK codecs.  He is now an official developer.

Vinay Sajip, implementor of the logging package has also been granted=20
CVS checkin rights.

Contributing threads:
   - `New developer=20
<http://mail.python.org/pipermail/python-dev/2003-December/040808.html>`_=
_

------------------------
Compiling 2.4 under .NET
------------------------
Martin v. L=C3=B6wis has started sandbox work on an MSI installer and mov=
ing=20
Python 2.4 over to VC 7.

Contributing threads:
   - `Py2.4 pre-alpha snapshot=20
<http://mail.python.org/pipermail/python-dev/2003-December/040784.html>`_=
_
   - `First version of Python MSI available=20
<http://mail.python.org/pipermail/python-dev/2003-December/041451.html>`_=
_
   - `Switching to VC.NET 2003=20
<http://mail.python.org/pipermail/python-dev/2003-December/041452.html>`_=
_

-----------------------------
New method flag: METH_COEXIST
-----------------------------
Raymond Hettinger, in his continual pursuit of speed, came up with a new=20
method flag, METH_COEXIST, which causes a method to be used in place of=20
a slot wrapper.  The example that actually led to this is __contains__:=20
a PyCFunction defining __contains__ tends to be faster than one in the=20
sq_contains slot thanks to METH_O and other tricks.

Contributing threads:
   - `FW: METH_COEXIST=20
<http://mail.python.org/pipermail/python-dev/2003-December/040940.html>`_=
_

------------------------------
Better relative import support
------------------------------
There was a huge discussion on a better way to handle relative imports=20
(think of the situation where you have your module ``import sys`` and=20
you happen to have a module named sys in the same directory; should that=20
local module be imported or the sys module from the stdlib?).  Luckily=20
Aahz volunteered to write a PEP on the whole thread so I am being spared=20
from having to summarize the thing.  =3D)  Thanks, Aahz.

Contributing threads:
   - `Re: Christmas Wishlist=20
<http://mail.python.org/pipermail/python-dev/2003-December/040973.html>`_=
_
   - `Re: Python-Dev Digest, Vol 5, Issue 57=20
<http://mail.python.org/pipermail/python-dev/2003-December/041078.html>`_=
_
   - `Relative import=20
<http://mail.python.org/pipermail/python-dev/2003-December/041065.html>`_=
_
   - `Another Strategy for Relative Import=20
<http://mail.python.org/pipermail/python-dev/2003-December/041418.html>`_=
_

------------------------------
list.sorted becomes a built-in
------------------------------
Just as the title says, list.sorted has now been moved out of the list=20
type and has been made a built-in.

Contributing threads:
   - `python/dist/src/Python bltinmodule.c,2.304,2.305=20
<http://mail.python.org/pipermail/python-dev/2003-December/041129.html>`_=
_

--------------------------------
What to do with old Python code?
--------------------------------
Someone rewrote the bisect module in C.  This brought up the question of=20
what to do with the old Python version.  Some suggest moving it to the=20
Demo directory.  Others suggest keeping the code but importing the C=20
version in the Python module.  The idea of keeping both was quickly shot=20
down, though, like in the pickle/cPickle situation.

This discussion is still going at this time.

Contributing threads:
   - `SF patch 864863: Bisect C implementation=20
<http://mail.python.org/pipermail/python-dev/2003-December/041511.html>`_=
_