[Python-Dev] Python and the Unicode Character Database

[Alexander Belopolsky]

On Sun, Nov 28, 2010 at 6:19 PM, "Martin v. Löwis" <martin at v.loewis.de> wrote:
..
> You can see the Unicode Consortium's stability policy at
>
> http://unicode.org/policies/stability_policy.html
>

>From the link above:
"""
As more experience is gathered in implementing the characters,
adjustments in the properties may become necessary. Examples of such
properties include, but are not limited to, the following:

General_Category
...
"""
> In a sense, this is stronger than Python's backwards compatibility
> promises (which allow for certain incompatible changes to occur
> over time, whereas Unicode makes promises about all future versions).

I would say it is *different* and should be taken into account when
tying language features to Unicode specifications. This was done in
PEP 3131.  Note that one of the stated objections was "Unicode is
young; its problems are not yet well understood and solved;"  (It is
still true.)