[Python-Dev] Changing existing class instances

[Tim Peters]

[Greg Stein]
> ...
> In other words, I definitely would support a new class
> object behavior that allows us to update a class' set of
> bases and dictionary on the fly.  This could then be used
> to support my solution for the recursive type scenario (which,
> in turn, means that we don't have to introduce Yet Another
> Namespace into Python to hold type names).

Parenthetically, I never grasped the appeal of the parenthetical comment.
Yet Another Namespace for Yet Another Entirely New Purpose seems highly
*desirable* to me!  Trying to overload the current namespace set makes it so
much harder to see that these are compile-time gimmicks, and users need to
be acutely aware of that if they're to use it effectively.  Note that I
understand (& wholly agree with) the need for runtime introspection.

different-things-different-rules-ly y'rs  - tim