[Python-Dev] Issues with Py3.1's new ipaddr

[Clay McClure]

On Tue, Jun 2, 2009 at 1:38 AM, "Martin v. Löwis" <martin at v.loewis.de> wrote:

> For the net-vs-host issue, I think a backwards-compatible solution
> is possible: just give the IP() function an option parameter that
> makes it reject a netmask during parsing.

That doesn't solve much. IPv4 objects still always use CIDR notation
when coerced to strings, meaning that IP addresses will always be
rendered with a trailing "/32". Such notation is unacceptable in
real-world applications that (correctly) distinguish between address
and network.

> That was my feeling as well when ipaddr was first offered. It's just
> not an important library, and people will continue to roll their own
> for some time. OTOH, with ipaddr in the standard library, people will
> also start contributing extensions that make it support their use cases,
> so it should grow a wider application area than it currently supports.

That being the case, why not delay its inclusion until we can be sure
that it in fact represents a good base upon which to build?

Clay