[Python-Dev] decimal module portability to 2.3?

[Brett C.]

Raymond Hettinger wrote:

>>Batista, Facundo wrote:
>>
>>
>>>Could decimal be backported to 2.3 and be included in some 2.3.5?
> 
> Don't
> 
>>know
>>
>>>if this behaviour is common to Python.
> 
> 
> [Brett] 
> 
>>That can't be done.  That would introduce new features in a bug
> 
> release
> 
>>which is a big no-no.
> 
> 
> Right.  Though keeping it 2.3 compatible means people can download it as
> a standalone module just like any other third-party module.  This worked
> out well for sets.py which I've made 2.2 compatible.
> 
> By keeping decimal 2.3 compatible, folks can make periodic downloads to
> take advantage of bug fixes and efforts to keep it in sync with the
> on-going evolution of the spec.
> 

Right, but you stated in another email you don't want to make it 
explicit by declaring it in PEP 291 so that is only true at the moment 
and could go away.  At which point people would need an easy way to get 
a hold of an older version before compatibility is broken unless the 
sandbox version is kept around and bugfixed on occasion like datetime.

-Brett