[Python-Dev] Backward compatibility

[Skip Montanaro]

    Aahz> As one of the frequent ranters about compatibility issues, I
    Aahz> thoroughly endorse this approach WRT "batteries included" as long
    Aahz> as the APIs stay the same.

I don't think APIs have much to do with this particular item.  No API
changed in xmlrpclib.py, but the code became incompatible with pre-2.0
releases.  I checked in a change to xmlrpclib.py that used "import foo as
bar".  The question I raised implicitly by making an incompatible change to
xmlrpclib.py was "is it okay to use all the features of the current release
in a core module?".  Tim's answer was a qualified "yes", the exception being
for modules maintained by other authors.  In PythonLabs view it's ultimately
Fredrik's responsibility to maintain backward compatibility if he so
chooses.  I realized it about 30 seconds after I checked in the change,
which was why I mentioned it.  I didn't know if he maintains a separate copy
for backwards compatible releases or relies on the code now in the Python
CVS repository.  In retrospect, I should probably have sent him a note
instead of checking in the change.

Skip