[Python-Dev] Inconsistent error messages in Py{Object, Sequence}_SetItem()

[Guido van Rossum]

> Note the "doesn't" vs "does not".  It's easily tracked down to
> PyObject_SetItem() and PySequence_SetItem() (in Objects/abstract.c).
> 
> Is this deliberate, or a simple oversight?  I'm inclined to assume the
> latter, and change "doesn't" to "does not" on the grounds that error
> messages are formal writing, and I was taught not to use contractions in
> formal writing.

Luckily I wasn't taught formal writing :-), and I don't see why it
can't be doesn't.  I'd say that if you want Python's error messages to
be formal writing, you'd have to change a lot more than just the
one... :-)

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