[Python-Dev] PEP 413: Faster evolution of the Python Standard Library

[Nick Coghlan]

On Sat, Feb 25, 2012 at 4:59 AM, Brett Cannon <brett at python.org> wrote:
> On Fri, Feb 24, 2012 at 13:23, Georg Brandl <g.brandl at gmx.net> wrote:
>> Am 24.02.2012 18:46, schrieb Antoine Pitrou:
>> > Overall, I like the principle of this PEP, but I really dislike the
>> > dual version numbering it introduces. Such a numbering scheme will be
>> > cryptic and awkward for anyone but Python specialists.
>>
>> I agree.
>
> Ditto.

And, in contrast, I believe that the free-wheeling minor version
number proposed in PEP 407 is a train wreck and PR disaster waiting to
happen. I find it interesting that we can so readily agree that using
the major version number in any way is impossible due to the ongoing
Python 2 -> 3 transition, yet I get so much pushback on the idea that
messing with the implications of changing the *minor* version number
will unnecessarily confuse or upset users.

I spent quite a bit of time thinking about the ways people *use* the
CPython version number, and it switched me from mildly preferring a
separate version number for the standard library to being a strong
*opponent* of increasing the rate of change for the minor version
number. Anyway, the PEP now describes the user scenarios that
convinced me that a separate version number for the standard library
was the right way to go:
http://www.python.org/dev/peps/pep-0413/#user-scenarios

Cheers,
Nick.

-- 
Nick Coghlan   |   ncoghlan at gmail.com   |   Brisbane, Australia