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

["Martin v. Löwis"]

Clay McClure wrote:
> 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".

That's not true:

py> x = ipaddr.IP("30.40.50.60")
py> print(x.ip_ext_full)
30.40.50.60

> Such notation is unacceptable in
> real-world applications that (correctly) distinguish between address
> and network.

So use a different notation that is also supported by the library.

>> 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?

Because we *are* sure that it in fact represents a good base upon which
to build.

Regards,
Martin