[Python-Dev] PEP 3144 review.

[Paul Moore]

2009/9/18 R. David Murray <rdmurray at bitdance.com>:
> On Fri, 18 Sep 2009 at 11:04, Andrew McNamara wrote:
>>
>> [attribution lost; apparently Steven D'Aprano given the CC]
>>>
>>> To a non-specialist, "the network address" is ambiguous. There are many
>>> addresses in a network, and none of them are the entire network. It's
>>> like saying, given a list [2, 4, 8, 12], what's "the list item"?
>>
>> A "network address" is an IP address and mask, but I understand your
>> confusion - we're mixing terminology from disperate domains. In my
>> postings, I have tried to refer to Network (a containter) and Address
>> (an item).
>
> Apparently not, in many people's vocabulary.  The 'network address'
> is used to designate the IP address whose bits corresponding to the one
> bits in the mask have been set to zero (ie: the first IP address in the
> network range).
>
> It is interesting how this item seems to lead to the greatest amount of
> confusion on everyone's part, and I'm guessing it is because the common
> terminology and usage blurs the line between addresses and networks.
> And that's what we are trying to make clear(er) through a well structured
> API.

How non-expert do you want to get? My immediate reaction is that the
network address of my PC is 157.215.187.94 - it's what comes up ad "IP
address" when I type ipconfig. I understand why that's "wrong", and I
see why the definitions above are "better", but that doesn't affect my
instinct.

Suggestion - just don't use the term "network address" anywhere in the
library, the PEP, or its documentation. The term seems too loaded with
contradictory meanings to be useful. If the concept behind it (one of
the many concepts - among our concepts...) is useful, then maybe coin
a new term specific to the module.

Paul.