[Python-Dev] Re: [PyWX] RE: PyWX (Python AOLserver plugin)

[Guido van Rossum]

> Let's set os.environ to a normal dict (i.e., break the connection to
> the process's actual environment) initialized to the contents of the
> environment.  This fake environment can be passed to a child using
> execve.  We would have to override os.system() and its cousins to use
> execve with this fake environment.
> 
> We only need to figure out:
> 
> 1. Whether we can just assign a dict to os.environ (and
>    posix.environ?) to kill their special behaviors;

You only need to assign to os.environ; posix.environ is not magic.

> 2. Whether such changes can be made separately in each interpreter
>    without them affecting one another;

Yes -- each interpreter (if you use NewInterpreter or whatever) has
its own copy of the os module.

> 3. Whether special measures have to be taken to cause the fake
>    environment dictionary to be garbage collected when the interpreter
>    is destroyed.

No.

> Regarding PWD there's nothing we can realistically do except document
> this limitation and clobber os.chdir() as suggested by Guido.

--Guido van Rossum (home page: http://www.pythonlabs.com/~guido/)