[Pythonmac-SIG] Re: [Python-Dev] Import hook to do end-of-line conversion?

[Just van Rossum]

Guido van Rossum wrote:

> It's a sign of how backward the Mac world is that the problem only now
> pops up for the Mac. :-)

I know I shouldn't bite, but I find this a very childish remark, Guido! It's
also not true... Here's an excerpt from a private thread between me, Jack and
Guido. It's dated january 8, 1996, I remember I was just learning Python. (I'll
give a translation below.)

"""
> >>     files:
> >>         is het een probleem om Mac *en* Unix files transparant te kunnen
> >>         lezen/executen? (een unix.py file veroorzaakt vreemde
> >>         error...)

(Ik neem aan dat je bedoelt files met '\n' in plaats van '\r' als line
separator.)

> >Hmm, ik weet niet of ik dit een goed idee vindt. Weet je wat: vraag
> >eens wat Guido er van vind (met een cc-tje naar mij).

Geen goed idee, tenzij de C stdio library dit automatisch doet
(kennelijk niet dus).  Het is over het algemeel een kleine moeite dit
bij het file transport recht te trekken (ftp in text mode etc.).
"""

Translation:

"""
[Just]
>>>    files:
>>>        is it a problem to read/execute Mac *and* Unix files transparently?
>>>        (a unix.py file causes a strange error...)

[Guido]
(I take it you mean files with '\n' instead of '\r' as line separator.)

[Jack]
>> Hm, I don't know whether I think this is a good idea. You know what,
>> ask Guido what he thinks (and cc me).

[Guido]
Not a good idea, unless the C stdio library does this automatically (apparently
it doesn't). In general it's a small effort to correct this during the file
transport (ftp in text mode etc.).
"""


So it's not that the problem wasn't there, it was just not taken very seriously
at the time...

Just