[Python-Dev] ANN: New PEP Format: reStructuredText

[David Goodger]

With many thanks to Barry Warsaw for his help and patience, I am
pleased to announce that a new format for PEPs (Python Enhancement
Proposals) has been deployed.  The new format is reStructuredText, a
lightweight what-you-see-is-what-you-get plaintext markup syntax and
parser component of the Docutils project.  From the new PEP 12:

    ReStructuredText is offered as an alternative to plaintext PEPs,
    to allow PEP authors more functionality and expressivity, while
    maintaining easy readability in the source text.  The processed
    HTML form makes the functionality accessible to readers: live
    hyperlinks, styled text, tables, images, and automatic tables of
    contents, among other advantages.

The following PEPs have been marked up with reStructuredText:

- PEP 12 -- Sample reStructuredText PEP Template
  (http://www.python.org/peps/pep-0012.html)

- PEP 256 -- Docstring Processing System Framework
  (http://www.python.org/peps/pep-0256.html)

- PEP 257 -- Docstring Conventions
  (http://www.python.org/peps/pep-0257.html)

- PEP 258 -- Docutils Design Specification
  (http://www.python.org/peps/pep-0258.html)

- PEP 287 -- reStructuredText Docstring Format
  (http://www.python.org/peps/pep-0287.html)

- PEP 290 -- Code Migration and Modernization
  (http://www.python.org/peps/pep-0290.html)

In addition, the text of PEP 1 and PEP 9 has been revised.

Authors of new PEPs are invited to consider using the new format, and
authors of existing PEPs are invited to convert their PEPs to
reStructuredText to take advantage of the many enhancements over the
plaintext format.  I, along with the other Docutils developers and
users, will be happy to assist.  Please send questions to:

    docutils-users@lists.sourceforge.net

The latest project snapshot can always be downloaded from:

    http://docutils.sourceforge.net/docutils-snapshot.tgz

(This is required to process the PEP source into HTML.  It requires
at least Python 2.0; Python 2.1 or later is recommended.)

Docutils and reStructuredText are under active development.  Input is
very welcome, especially HTML rendering/stylesheet issues with
different browsers.  We welcome new contributors.  If you'd like to
get involved, please visit:

    http://docutils.sourceforge.net/

-- 
David Goodger  <goodger@users.sourceforge.net>  Open-source projects:
  - Python Docutils: http://docutils.sourceforge.net/
    (includes reStructuredText: http://docutils.sf.net/rst.html)
  - The Go Tools Project: http://gotools.sourceforge.net/