[Python-Dev] Backporting PEP 414

[Chris McDonough]

On Tue, 2012-02-28 at 15:54 -0500, Benjamin Peterson wrote:
> 2012/2/28 Ethan Furman <ethan at stoneleaf.us>:
> > Here's what I know:
> >
> > We don't add features to bug-fix releases.
> > u'' is considered a feature.
> > By not backporting to 3.1 and 3.2 we are not easing the migration pains from
> > 2.x.
> >
> >
> > Here's what I don't know:
> >
> > Why is readding u'' a feature and not a bug?  (Just had a thought about this
> > -- because the removal of u'' is documented.)
> 
> Because it's a new "thing" which doesn't fix obviously broken behavior.
> 
> >
> >
> > If there is already a FAQ entry feel free to point me to it, but I would
> > still be curious why, in this instance, practicality does not beat purity?
> 
> Because it's practical not to break bugfix releases with new features.

This change, by its nature, cannot break old programs.

- C