[Python-Dev] Re: Last call: mortal interned strings

[Oren Tirosh]

I see that this has been checked in. 

My version:

	PyString_InternInPlace - immortal
	PyString_Intern - mortal 

Your version:

	PyString_InternInPlace - mortal
	PyString_InternImmortal - immortal

My version favors backward compatibility - existing modules will not break 
if they rely on the immortality of interned strings.

Your version appears to maximize the benefit of interned strings - existing
modules automatically get the new mortal semantics without requiring any 
changes.

I was wondering what was the rationale behind this decision.

If the only reason was that the name PyString_Intern is not descriptive
enough it can be renamed to something like PyString_InternReference to
make it clear that it operates on a reference to a string and modifies 
it "in place".

	Oren