[Python-Dev] The bytes type

Steve Holden steve at holdenweb.com
Sun Jan 14 22:38:53 CET 2007


Guido van Rossum wrote:
> On 1/12/07, Raymond Hettinger <python at rcn.com> wrote:
>> [A.M. Kuchling]
>>> 2.6 wouldn't go changing existing APIs to begin requiring or returning
>>> the bytes type[*], of course, but extensions and new modules might use
>>> it.
>> The premise is dubious.
>>
>> If I am currently maintaining a module, why would I switch to a bytes type
>> and forgo compatibility with Py2.5 and prior?  I might as well just convert
>> it to run on Py3.0 and leave my Py2.5 code as-is for people who want to
>> run 2.x.
>>
>> If I'm writing a new module, what's the point of twisting myself into knots
>> to get it to run on both Py2.6 and Py3.0?  That just makes coding harder
>> (by limiting me to the intersection of the feature sets).
>>
>> I think we should draw a line in the sand and resolve not to garbage-up Py2.6.
>> The whole Py3.0 project is about eliminating cruft and being free of the
>> bonds of backwards compatibility.  Adding non-essential cruft to Py2.6
>> goes against that philosophy.
> 
> I'm not so sure, since 2.6 will likely be out and stable long before
> 3.0 gains much of a foothold. I believe the experiences with a similar
> approach in the Zope world for the 2->3 transition was overall a
> favorable one.
> 
> However, I'd be loathe to make any compromises in 3.0 in order to make
> life easier for 2.6. The burden must be on 2.6 (and 2.7-2.9), and if
> it's just impossible, that's too bad for them.
> 
This may have been discussed ob the Py3k list, and/or may be 
inappropriate for python-dev. I just wondered if you could indicate 
whether the developers of Jython, IronPython and PyPy have indicated any 
interest in and/or commitment to supporting Py3.0.

It's important that the development of 3.0 doesn't fragment the 
development community (not to mention the user community), and Jython is 
already aiming at a moving target in its attempts to catch up.

regards
  Steve
-- 
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