[Python-Dev] Why does base64 return bytes?

[Daniel Holth]

In that case could we just add a base64_text() method somewhere? Who would
like to measure whether it would be a win?

On Wed, Jun 15, 2016 at 8:34 AM Steven D'Aprano <steve at pearwood.info> wrote:

> On Tue, Jun 14, 2016 at 09:40:51PM -0700, Guido van Rossum wrote:
> > I'm officially on vacation, but I was surprised that people now assume
> > RFCs, which specify internet protocols, would have a bearing on
> programming
> > languages. (With perhaps an exception for RFCs that specifically specify
> > how programming languages or their libraries should treat certain
> specific
> > issues -- but I found no evidence that this RFC is doing that.)
>
> Sorry to disturb your vacation!
>
> I hoped that there might have been a nice simple answer, like "the
> main use-case for Base64 is the email module, which needs bytes, and
> thus it was decided". Or even "because backwards compatibility".
>
> Thanks to everyone for their constructive comments, and expecially Mark
> for digging up the original discussion on the Python-3000 list. I'm
> satisfied that the choice made by Python is the right choice, and that
> it meets the spirit (if, arguably, not the letter) of the RFC.
>
>
> --
> Steve
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