[Python-Dev] Significance of informational PEPs

[Aahz]

On Thu, Apr 18, 2002, Andrew Kuchling wrote:
>
> +    feature.  Informational PEPs do not represent a Python community
> +    consensus or recommendation, so users and implementors are free to
> +    ignore informational PEPs or follow their advice.
> 
> If people disagree about this view of informational PEPs as purely
> advisory, please speak up now so we can discuss this issue.
> 
> (This came up because of the recently-posted PEP 272.  Some people on
> the python-crypto list don't like PEP 272's interface at all, and
> other people think the whole idea of a standard API for block
> encryption is useless.  It seems impossible to come to consensus, so I
> wanted to underscore that informational PEPs don't bind people to the
> interfaces they describe.)

Seems to me that if an informational PEP gets BDFL approval, it's binding,
but possibly not enforced.  I'm not sure what the point of an informational 
PEP that has no consensus is, though; shouldn't such documentation be
spread by other means?
-- 
Aahz (aahz@pythoncraft.com)           <*>         http://www.pythoncraft.com/

What if there were no rhetorical questions?