[Python-Dev] Optimization of the Year

[Guido van Rossum]

> There is a simpler way to make sure all clients that illicitly use
> ob_item are updated appropriately: Break the build by renaming.  If
> ob_item is renamed to ob_items or ob_item2 or whatever, any code that
> uses the old name will cease to compile.

Good idea.  We'd also have to break binary compatibility (of the List
API) forcibly otherwise we could be fooled by 3rd party extensions
compiled for older Python versions -- usually we're careful to keep
binary compatibility.

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