unicode(obj, errors='foo') raises TypeError - bug?

[Steven Bethard]

Kent Johnson wrote:
> Steven Bethard wrote:
> 
>> No, this is documented behavior[1]:
>>
>> """
>> unicode([object[, encoding [, errors]]])
>>     ...
>>     For objects which provide a __unicode__() method, it will call 
>> this method without arguments to create a Unicode string. For all 
>> other objects, the 8-bit string version or representation is requested 
>> and then converted to a Unicode string using the codec for the default 
>> encoding in 'strict' mode.
>> """
>>
>> Note that the documentation basically says that it will call str() on 
>> your object, and then convert it in 'strict' mode.  You should either 
>> define __unicode__ or call str() manually on the object.
> 
> Not a bug, I guess, since it is documented, but it seems a bit bizarre 
> that the encoding and errors parameters are ignored when object does not 
> have a __unicode__ method.

Yeah, I agree it's weird.  I suspect if someone supplied a patch for 
this behavior it would be accepted -- I don't think this should break 
backwards compatibility (much).

STeVe