[Python-Dev] Python language standard; LSB

[sismex01@hebmex.com]

> From: Guido van Rossum [mailto:guido@python.org] 
> Sent: Viernes, 13 de Junio de 2003 01:36 p.m.
> 
> > [...snippage...]
> >
> > While Python is more stable than perl in this respect (at 
> > least I have that expression) the problem is that there is
> > no fixed python language: With any new release not only bugs
> > are fixed, but also new language features are added. While
> > this makes features-to-market faster, it probably creates
> > the problems that make it hard to "standardize" python.
> > This done when it is included in the LSB (kind of):
> > The programs have to behave _identical_ independend of
> > the python version.
> 
> This reveals a hopelessly naive view on standardization.
> 

Actually, it's much, much worse than naive, it's fossilizing:
no program can continue evolving.  It reminds me of Microsoft's
DirectX thing, all recent versions contain all previous
versions, in order to replicate past version's behaviour,
downright to that caused by bugs or implementations errors.

> > > There is of course a thorough standard test suite for Python
> > Hmm. It should be somehow possible to get python (and perl) 
> > into the LSB, hmm.
> > 
> > > Other than that, I expect that including Python in LSB is more a 
> > > matter of political will in the LSB committee than anything else.
> > I'm not that sure, at least for LSB 2.0 which is supposed to be 
> > modulized this might actually happen. (Though probably only if also 
> > Perl gets
> > included.)
> 
> Why would Python only be included if Perl was also included?  
> As I said, this is just politics.
>

Tobias: What if certain [Python] program contains code that
depends on behaviour caused by a bug, or an "interim" feature?
Should Python become fossilized?

:-(

-gca

pd: Please excuse and ignore following legalese :-(
--
Advertencia:La informacion contenida en este mensaje es confidencial y
restringida, por lo tanto esta destinada unicamente para el uso de la
persona arriba indicada, se le notifica que esta prohibida la difusion de
este mensaje. Si ha recibido este mensaje por error, o si hay problemas en
la transmision, favor de comunicarse con el remitente. Gracias.