[Python-Dev] Re: Stability and change

[Fred L. Drake, Jr.]

Guido van Rossum writes:
 > Weren't weakrefs an external module in 2.1?  Can't you distribute that
 > separately with PyXML (under a different name)?

They were an external module in that the types as well as the
Python-level access was in Modules/_weakref.c, but invalidating
references required cooperation from the core, since action is taken
when the refcount goes to 0.  It cannot work for 2.0 under any name.

 > Yeah, but there were some very loud supporters who mostly wanted it
 > for political reasons at the time.  I think I may have fallen for
 > their arguments a little too fast. ;-)

Maybe.  I *still* think providing XML support out of the box is a good
thing, the questions for me are related to how that should be done
rather than whether it should be.  But that's a separate discussion.


  -Fred

-- 
Fred L. Drake, Jr.  <fdrake at acm.org>
PythonLabs at Zope Corporation