[Python-ideas] Module/Package-Class Unification

[Josiah Carlson]

On Fri, Sep 19, 2008 at 10:14 AM, Ron Adam <rrr at ronadam.com> wrote:
> Carl Johnson wrote:
>>
>> Is there a good reason why I can't do something like:
>>
>> import mypackage
>> import mymodule
>>
>> x = mypackage(arg, kwarg)
>> y = mymodule + 3
>>
>> and other methods, etc. using the __special__ methods.
>>
>> Also, wouldn't it be cool if modules/packages could have metaclass-like
>> handlers…
>>
>> I'm sure there's a good reason why this is just crazy talk
>> implementation-wise, but I'd like to hear what it is. Python has merged
>> types and classes, why not merging in packages and modules, too?
>
>
> Would these __special__ methods be seperate files like __init__.py is for
> packages?

I don't believe that was his intent.

Generally though, this isn't difficult to do: override __import__.
The ultimate question, however, is whether or not this improves code
quality, readability, or maintainability.  I don't believe it would,
so aside from a "purist" approach to unifying, it fails in the face of
practicality.

 - Josiah