[Python-Dev] Things to Know About Super

[michele.simionato at gmail.com]

Recently I have opened a blog on Artima and I am publishing a
few Python-related essays I had in store. In particular a trilogy
of papers about "super". From the foreword:

"""
In 2004 I decided to write a comprehensive paper documenting
``super`` pitfalls and traps, with the goal of publishing it on the
Python web site, just as I had published my essay on multiple
inheritance and the `Method Resolution Order`_. With time the paper
grew longer and longer but I never had the feeling that I had covered
everything I needed to say: moreover I have a full time job, so I
never had the time to fully revise the paper as a whole. As a
consequence, four years have passed and the paper is still in draft
status. This is a pity, since it documents issues that people
encounter and that regularly come out on the Python newsgroups and
forums.

Keeping the draft sitting on my hard disk is doing a disservice to the
community. Still, I lack to time to finish it properly. To come out
from the impasse, I decided to split the long paper in a series of
short blog posts, which I do have the time to review properly.
Moreover people are free to post comments and corrections in case I am
making
mistakes (speaking about ``super`` this is always possible). Once I
finish the series, I may integrate the corrections, put it together
again and possibly publish it as whole on the Python website.
In other words, in order to finish the task,
I am trying the strategies of *divide et conquer*
and *release early, release often*. We will see how it goes.
"""

It seems the strategy worked since I have finished
the paper, by splitting it in three post. Actually, it it not
really finished because it does not say anything about
the new super in Python 3.0, but that could do in a separate
essay. Here I am asking for feedback/corrections.
Moreover if people think it is worthy idea, I can re-assemble
the paper again, donate it to the PSF and publish it on the
Python website.

            Michele Simionato