[Python-checkins] cpython (3.2): Issue #14954: Clarify the interaction of weak references and garbage collection.

[antoine.pitrou]

http://hg.python.org/cpython/rev/8600ae913b63
changeset:   78686:8600ae913b63
branch:      3.2
parent:      78683:b64947b6f947
user:        Antoine Pitrou <solipsis at pitrou.net>
date:        Tue Aug 21 00:07:07 2012 +0200
summary:
  Issue #14954: Clarify the interaction of weak references and garbage collection.
Patch by Ethan Furman.

files:
  Doc/library/weakref.rst |  5 ++++-
  Misc/ACKS               |  1 +
  2 files changed, 5 insertions(+), 1 deletions(-)


diff --git a/Doc/library/weakref.rst b/Doc/library/weakref.rst
--- a/Doc/library/weakref.rst
+++ b/Doc/library/weakref.rst
@@ -24,7 +24,10 @@
 A weak reference to an object is not enough to keep the object alive: when the
 only remaining references to a referent are weak references,
 :term:`garbage collection` is free to destroy the referent and reuse its memory
-for something else.  A primary use for weak references is to implement caches or
+for something else.  However, until the object is actually destroyed the weak
+reference may return the object even if there are no strong references to it.
+
+A primary use for weak references is to implement caches or
 mappings holding large objects, where it's desired that a large object not be
 kept alive solely because it appears in a cache or mapping.
 
diff --git a/Misc/ACKS b/Misc/ACKS
--- a/Misc/ACKS
+++ b/Misc/ACKS
@@ -317,6 +317,7 @@
 Tadayoshi Funaba
 Gyro Funch
 Peter Funk
+Ethan Furman
 Geoff Furnish
 Ulisses Furquim
 Hagen Fürstenau

-- 
Repository URL: http://hg.python.org/cpython