[Python-Dev] Single- vs. Multi-pass iterability

[Guido van Rossum]

> > I don't think so.  We should pick the most convenient chunking for the
> > default iterator
> 
> But we're talking here about making the file object
> *be* an iterator itself, not just have a "default
> iterator". If that's to happen, all the
> other ways of iterating over a file ought to be
> implemented on top of the basic iteration facility
> provided by the file object -- lest we get unfortunate
> interactions between the different iteration methods
> a la xreadlines(). To me, this implies that the file
> object must iterate by bytes.

Why should all iteration over a file be defined in terms of its basic
iteration?  I don't see that as dogma.

--Guido van Rossum (home page: http://www.python.org/~guido/)