[Python-Dev] file modes (was: just say no...)

Skip Montanaro skip@mojam.com (Skip Montanaro)
Thu, 18 Nov 1999 16:15:43 -0600 (CST)


    Greg> I'm not writing portable scripts. I mentioned that once before. I
    Greg> don't want a difference between 'r' and 'rb' on my Linux box. It
    Greg> was never there before, I'm lazy, and I don't want to see it added
    Greg> :-).

    ...

    Greg> I just don't like introduce text/binary to *nix platforms where it
    Greg> didn't exist before.

I'll vote with Greg, Guido's cross-platform conversion not withstanding.  If
I haven't been writing portable scripts up to this point because I only care
about a single target platform, why break my scripts for me?  Forcing me to
use "rb" or "wb" on my open calls isn't going to make them portable anyway.

There are probably many other harder to identify and correct portability
issues than binary file access anyway.  Seems like requiring "b" is just
going to cause gratuitous breakage with no obvious increase in portability.

porta-nanny.py-anyone?-ly y'rs,

Skip Montanaro | http://www.mojam.com/
skip@mojam.com | http://www.musi-cal.com/
847-971-7098   | Python: Programming the way Guido indented...