[Python-Dev] Soliciting comments on the future of the cmdmodule (bpo-33233)

Paul Moore p.f.moore at gmail.com
Sat Apr 7 04:30:05 EDT 2018


On 7 April 2018 at 04:13, Steve Dower <steve.dower at python.org> wrote:
> Better to deprecate it before it becomes broken, in my opinion.
>
> Having someone willing and able to review and merge changes is the best
> criteria for whether a module is still supported or not.

I think there's a difference between not being willing to add
enhancements, and not fixing bugs. The issue that originally triggered
this discussion was an enhancement request, and I don't think it's
unreasonable to declare cmd as "stable - no further enhancements will
be made or accepted" while still considering it as supported for
bugfixes. If significant bugs in cmd are remaining unfixed, then
that's a somewhat different matter.

The fact that pdb uses it, and the advantage of having something in
the stdlib for users without easy access to "pip install", *plus* the
general principle of "if it isn't broken, don't fix it" make me feel
that the best solution would be to document that extended replacements
such as cmd2 exist in PyPI, but retain cmd as supported but not (in
principle) accepting further enhancements (leaving the door open for
interested core devs to merge enhancements on a case by case basis if
they have a personal interest in doing so).

Paul


More information about the Python-Dev mailing list