Draft PEP on RSON configuration file format

[Robert Kern]

On 2010-03-01 11:34 , Patrick Maupin wrote:
> On Mar 1, 11:13 am, Robert Kern<robert.k... at gmail.com>  wrote:
>> Ignore it. That comment really doesn't apply to this case. That's for things
>> that only make sense in the language or standard library, like context managers.
>> For libraries like this, Steven's summary is correct. It needs to have a useful
>> life as a third party package for a few years before you should propose it for
>> inclusion into the standard library. By all means, distribute a design document
>> for comment before you implement things; it's a reasonable practice. But don't
>> bother with a PEP yet.
>
> So, I went and re-read PEP 1, and in the fine print it directs me to
> PEP 2.  Mea culpa -- I though I understood the PEP.
>
> Nonetheless, the fact that I created what I call a "PEP draft" seems
> to have had more read into it than I meant.  I will bear this in mind
> when I start future projects.  I have a couple of projects, and
> contribute to another, which in no way should wind up in the standard
> library.  But I find the lack of a good, up-to-date, configuration
> reader in the library to be an issue, which is why I had the temerity
> to try to start a discussion on what a good standard configuration
> file reader should be.
>
> Yes, I would like to create something compelling enough to go into the
> standard library. No, I don't expect it to wind up there for a very
> long time, if ever.  BUT, at the same time, following the PEP format
> is very valuable for my project.  It forces me to think more deeply
> about the problem I am solving and it forces me to write down some
> documentation.  Really, it's no more burdensome than any other similar
> useful template.

Certainly. The PEP format is a useful one. I've used it myself for some numpy 
design documents. But can you see why people might get confused about your 
intentions when you call it a draft PEP and post it to python-dev? If you stop 
calling it a PEP and stop talking about putting it in the standard library, 
people will stop being distracted by those issues.

-- 
Robert Kern

"I have come to believe that the whole world is an enigma, a harmless enigma
  that is made terrible by our own mad attempt to interpret it as though it had
  an underlying truth."
   -- Umberto Eco