[Python-Dev] PyFAQ: thread-safe interpreter operations

[Jason Orendorff]

On 11/27/06, Aahz <aahz at pythoncraft.com> wrote:
> On Mon, Nov 27, 2006, Jason Orendorff wrote:
> > Way back on 11/22/06, "Martin v. L?wis" <martin at v.loewis.de> wrote:
> >> [...] I can find nothing wrong with people relying on
> >> reference counting to close files, for example. It's a property of
> >> CPython, and not guaranteed in other Python implementations - yet it
> >> works in a well-defined way in CPython. [...]
> >
> > [Feh.]
>
> We recently had this discussion at my day job.  We ended up agreeing
> that using close() was an encouraged but not required style, because to
> really avoid breakage we'd have to go with a full-bore try/except style
> for file handling, and that would require too many changes (especially
> without upgrading to 2.5, and we're still using 2.2/2.3).

Well, CPython's refcounting is something Python-dev is
(understatement) very conscious of.  I think I've even heard
assurances that it won't change Any Time Soon.  But this isn't the
case for every CPython implementation detail.  Remember what brought
all this up.  If it's obscure enough that Fredrik Lundh has to ask
around, I wouldn't bet the ranch on it.

-j