[Python-Dev] Issues with process and discussions (Re: Issues with Py3.1's new ipaddr)

[Jake McGuire]

On Wed, Jun 3, 2009 at 10:41 AM,  <glyph at divmod.com> wrote:
>
> On 02:39 am, guido at python.org wrote:
>>
>> I'm disappointed in the process -- it's as if nobody really reviewed
>> the API until it was released with rc1, and this despite there being a
>> significant discussion about its inclusion and alternatives months
>> ago. (Don't look at me -- I wouldn't recognize a netmask if it bit me
>> in the behind, and I can honestly say that I don't know whether /8
>> means to look only at the first 8 bits or whether it means to mask off
>> the last 8 bits.)
>>
>> I hope we can learn from this.
>
> As he pointed out to Martin, Jean-Paul voiced objections several months ago
> which are similar to the ones which are now being discussed.  To be fair, he
> didn't unambiguously say "... and therefore don't include this library"; he
> simply suggested that netaddr was superior in some ways and that perhaps
> some documentation could illuminate why ipaddr was better.

The thing that stands out about the earlier tracker/mailing list
discussions is how very few people affirmatively wanted ipaddr added
to the standard library.  Most people thought it sounded ok in
principle, didn't care, or thought it was not a great idea but didn't
feel like arguing about it.

-jake