[Python-ideas] Remove tty module

[random832 at fastmail.us]

On Fri, Aug 2, 2013, at 2:03, Andrew Barnert wrote:
> I went with the idea of only allowing consoleio functions inside an
> enabling() context (or explicit enable() and disable() calls) instead of
> switching on the fly. It makes khbit easier to implement and to use, and
> it's generally simpler, cleaner, and more efficient, and I don't think
> anyone will complain too much.
> 
> Anyway, if something like were added to the stdlib, it definitely
> wouldn't allow us to deprecate tty or termios (especially since it uses
> them… but even if it didn't, sometimes you need more flexibility), but it
> would allow us to add a note at the top saying "If you're using looking
> for simple, more-portable raw I/O, see the consoleio module."

I don't think deprecating termios was ever on the table. As for
"sometimes you need more flexibility" - as I understood it, the problem
is that tty occupies an intermediate stage of flexibility/complexity -
it's unlikely that you need more than consoleio without needing termios.
(or curses, if we add screen manipulation functions)

I really do think this should also include a clrscr/gotoxy (and
attribute functions - you mentioned setbg/setfg in DOS versions, but
conio.sourceforge.net has textcolor/textbackground/textattr instead), to
provide a cross-platform way to do those things (and a foundation for an
eventual windowing library). I can implement these for win32 this
weekend. We might want a separate enable() call/context for cursor
manipulation; you have to scroll to the top of the buffer for it to work
properly (and this is what native fullscreen apps such as vim do).