Message 82493 - Python tracker (original) (raw)

On Thu, Feb 19, 2009 at 1:57 PM, Jean-Paul Calderone <report@bugs.python.org> wrote:

Jean-Paul Calderone <exarkun@divmod.com> added the comment:

Oh, and "what to do of the now unused pure Python implementations in io.py"? Easiest would be to dump them, as they will probably get hopelessly out of sync, but perhaps there's some genuine portability/educational advantage to keep them?

The test suite should be run against both implementations. That way tested behavior will always be the same for both. And all of its behavior is tested, right? ;)

The value in the Python implementation is manifold. For example:

• It eases testing of new features/techniques. Rather than going straight to the C version when someone has an idea for a feature, it can be implemented and tried out in Python. If it's cool, then the extra effort of porting to C can be undertaken.
• It helps other Python implementations immensely. PyPy, IronPython, and Jython are all going to have to provide this library eventually (one supposes). Forcing them each to re-implement it will mean it will be that much longer before they support it.

We don't maintain any other features in two languages for those purposes. IMO, it will just be more of a burden to fix bugs in two different places as compared to the advantages you mention.