[Python-Dev] Hindsight on Py_UNICODE_WIDE?

[Jason Orendorff]

Scheme is adding Unicode support in an upcoming standard:
(DRAFT) http://www.r6rs.org/document/lib-html/r6rs-lib-Z-H-3.html

I have two questions for the python-dev team about Python's Unicode
experiences.  If it's convenient, please take a moment to reply.
Thanks in advance.

1.  In hindsight, what do you think about PEP 261, the Py_UNICODE_WIDE
build option?  On balance, has this been good, bad, or indifferent?
What's good/bad about it?

2.  The idea of multiple string representations has come up (that is,
where all strings are Unicode, but in memory some are 8-bit, some
16-bit, and some 32-bit--each string uses the narrowest possible
representation).  This has been discussed here for Python 3000.  My
question is:  Is this for real?  How far along is it?  How likely is
it?

Thanks,
Jason