[Python-ideas] PEP: Distributing a Subset of the Standard Library

[Ethan Furman]

On 11/28/2016 08:38 AM, Guido van Rossum wrote:

> 2. After exhausting sys.path, search it again just for .missing.py files
>  (or perhaps remember the location of the .missing.py file during the
>  first search but don't act immediately on it -- this has the same effect).
>   - Pro: allows user to install their own version.
>   - Con: if the user has a matching file by accident, that file will be
>  imported, causing more confusion.
>
> I personally would weigh these so as to prefer (2). The option of installing
>  your own version when the standard version doesn't exist seems reasonable;
>  there may be reasons that you can't or don't want to install the distribution's
> version.

I also agree that (2) is the better option.  General Python philosophy seems to be to not prohibit actions unless there is a *really* good reason (i.e. sum()ing strings), and option (1) would require installing third-party modules into the stdlib to workaround the prohibition.

--
~Ethan~