[Python-Dev] "if __name__ == '__main__'" at the bottom of python unittest files

[Stephen J. Turnbull]

Executive summary:

"There should be a tool" (sorry, I'm not volunteering any time soon)
that could be added to $VCS diff (say, "git coverage-diff" or "git
diff --coverage").

Chris Withers writes:

 > It's an interesting point; I personally don't see much value in coverage 
 > of less than 100%, if you're going to look at coverage: no-one is going 
 > to focus on or potentially even notice whether coverage moved from 99% 
 > to 99% (no typo), even though a bunch of new uncovered code may have 
 > been introduced.

I agree with the point you're making (that the difference between 100%
and 99% is a very significant indicator that "something needs to be
done here, it's obvious what, and [depending on project process] it's
obvious who, too"), but it's also true that 99% is 
better than 98% and definitely better than 90% or less.

Your point that it matters *which* 1% is more important, I think (see
"Executive summary").

 > If people are actually using these blocks, then so be it, but it feels 
 > like the people who want them to stick around are saying they're using 
 > them just on the off chance they might use them, which feels like a poor 
 > reason to keep a bunch of dead code around.

At least one person says he uses it, although I don't know how that
fits with Robert's statement that "it was never needed".

Steve