[Python-Dev] Python 2.3a1's mandatory use of cyclic GC causes existing applications to fail

[Guido van Rossum]

> Tim Peters writes:
>  > For example, create a new-style class and you've created cycles.
>  > If you have a customer who disables cyclic GC, they'll have to
>  > avoid other newer features too, or endure leaks.

[Fred]
> Why would creating new style classes create cycles?  The links between
> a type and derived types use weak references, which do not rely on the
> cycle GC support.

The class __dict__ contains methods, and the methods contain a
reference back to the class.  This is not a weak reference.

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