[Python-Dev] r54457 - python/trunk/Doc/whatsnew/whatsnew26.tex

[Steve Holden]

A.M. Kuchling wrote:
> On Tue, Mar 20, 2007 at 06:08:24AM +0100, neal.norwitz wrote:
>> Author: neal.norwitz
>> Date: Tue Mar 20 06:08:23 2007
>> New Revision: 54457
>>
>> +% Should there be a new section here for 3k migration?
>> +% Or perhaps a more general section describing module changes/deprecation?
>> +% sets module deprecated
> 
> This is an interesting question: should the "What's New" talk about
> Python 3000?
> 
> My initial tentative reaction is 'no', because a Py3K section would
> need to continue to be updated as Python 3000's definition shifts.
> Once previous Python 2.x versions were released, "What's New"
> documents became very static, the only changes being typo fixes and
> small corrections and clarifications.  Having to continually update
> the Py3K section would be annoying, and argues for a separate document
> that isn't necessarily tied to Python 2.x releases.
> 
> On the other hand, it would be nice to warn users away from idioms
> that will break in Py3K, and the "What's New" is a natural place to do
> it.  Hm.  But the 'porting' section already talks about features that
> are being deprecated; is that enough?
> 
> Thoughts?
> 
Clearly a need for a new document. We don't want to startle people who 
don't want to get involved in version wars (probably 98.5% of all users 
aren't even aware of "What's New", since they use a Python installed by 
someone else, typically their computer vendor or Linux/UNIX distro team).

At the same time we should flag the fact that upcoming changes are 
indeed in the works. Possibly a "3.0 Design Snapshot" whose title makes 
it clear this is a moving target and, among other things, whose content 
points the user at a definitive (set of) URL(s) for the latest information.

Putting this information in "What's New" (except possibly for mentioning 
the creation of this new document) would create unnecessary FUD.

regards
  Steve
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