[Python-Dev] PEP282 and the warnings framework

[Guido van Rossum]

> Given that an implementation already exists and is in use by quite a
> few people, I don't think it's right to make changes of a
> fundamental nature which would require users to rewrite their code,
> unless the reason is a *really* good one. (the module is still in an
> "alpha" stage so I am not dead against making changes of this type;
> I just need to know what the justification is).

That's not the reason I'd like to hear not to consider this
change. :-)

There's an anecdote (not sure if it's true, but I heard it told a long
time ago as a true story) that the author of the original Unix v7
"Make" utility was asked to change the dreaded dependence on tabs, and
refused because there were already ten users.

There's also the argument used occasionally by Bjarne Stroustrup that
the number of programs that will be written is much larger than the
number of programs already written, and that you should not sacrifice
the convenience of those many future programmers for that of the
(relatively) few current users.

That said, I'm pretty neutral on this particular issue, and trust you
to make the right decision.  Just don't be biased by what you've
already implemented. :-)

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