[Python-Dev] PEP 411: Provisional packages in the Python standard library

[Antoine Pitrou]

On Fri, 10 Feb 2012 16:06:15 +0200
Eli Bendersky <eliben at gmail.com> wrote:
> 
> Following the intensive and fruitful discussion of the (now rejected)
> PEP 408 (http://mail.python.org/pipermail/python-dev/2012-January/115850.html),
> we've drafted PEP 411 to summarize the conclusions with regards to the
> process of marking packages provisional. Note that this is an
> informational PEP, and that for the sake of completeness it duplicates
> some of the contents of PEP 408.

I think the word "provisional" doesn't mean anything to many
(non-native English speaking) people. I would like to suggest something
clearer, e.g. "experimental" or "unstable" - which have the benefit of
*already* having a meaning in other software-related contexts.

>     The <X> package has been included in the standard library on a
>     provisional basis. While major changes are not anticipated, as long as
>     this notice remains in place, backwards incompatible changes are
>     permitted if deemed necessary by the standard library developers. Such
>     changes will not be made gratuitously - they will occur only if
>     serious API flaws are uncovered that were missed prior to inclusion of
>     the package.

That's too wordy. Let's stay clear and to the point:

"This package is unstable/experimental. Its API may change in the next
release."

(and put a link to the relevant FAQ section if necessary)

Regards

Antoine.