[Python-Dev] Re: PEP 246: LiskovViolation as a name

[Skip Montanaro]

    Michael> This must be one of those cases where I am mislead by my
    Michael> background...  I thought of Liskov substitution principle as a
    Michael> piece of basic CS background that everyone learned in school
    Michael> (or from the net, or wherever they learned
    Michael> programming). Clearly, that's not true.

Note that some us were long out of school by the time Barbara Liskov first
published the idea (in 1988 according to
http://c2.com/cgi/wiki?LiskovSubstitutionPrinciple).  Also, since it
pertains to OO programming it was probably not taught widely until the
mid-90s.  That means a fair number of people will have never heard about it.

    Michael> Guido writes:
    >> How about SubstitutabilityError?

I don't think that's any better.  At the very least, people can Google for
"Liskov violation" to educate themselves.  I'm not sure that the results of
a Google search for "Subtitutability Error" will be any clearer.

    Michael> It would be less precise and informative to ME but apparently
    Michael> more so to a beginner. Obviously, we should support the
    Michael> beginner!

I don't think that's appropriate in this case.  Liskov violation is
something precise.  I don't think that changing what you call it will help
beginners understand it any better in this case.  I say leave it as it and
make sure it's properly documented.

Skip