[Python-ideas] Updated PEP 432: Simplifying the CPython update sequence

[Chris Angelico]

On Sun, Jan 6, 2013 at 9:54 AM, Terry Reedy <tjreedy at udel.edu> wrote:
> On 1/5/2013 4:42 PM, Barry Warsaw wrote:
>
>> Also, I suggest taking the opportunity to change the sense of flags such
>> as
>> no_site and dont_write_bytecode.  I find it much more difficult to reason
>> that
>> "dont_write_bytecode = 0" means *do* write bytecode, rather than
>> "write_bytecode = 1".  I.e. positives are better than double-negatives.
>
> IE, you prefer positive flags, with some on by default, over having all
> flags indicate a non-default condition. I would too, but I don't hack on the
> C code base. 'dont_write_bytecode' is especially ugly.

Would it be less ugly if called 'suppress_bytecode'? It sounds less
negative, but does the same thing. Suppressing something is an active
and positive action (though the democratic decision to not publish is
quite different, as Yes Minister proved).

ChrisA