[Python-Dev] Why aren't more things weak referencable

Guido van Rossum guido at python.org
Mon May 31 23:15:08 EDT 2004


> Same here. I wouldnot vote to make strings or tuples or any other
> tiny type weak-reffed in the first place.
> Instead I would add the possible support to derived types, via
> the __slot__ mechanism for instance.
> There is a little coding necessary to make the generic code
> handle the case of var-sized objects, but this is doable
> and not very complicated.
> 
> This may be really needed or not. if we can create the rule
> "every derived type *can* have weak-refs", this is simpler
> to memorize than "well, most can, some cannot".

With some (considerable?) effort, slots on var-sized objects can
certainly be supported -- the same approach as used for __dict__
should work.  I expect it might slow down the normal case a bit,
unless you define a new descriptor type just for this.

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



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