[Python-Dev] breaking list.append() (original) (raw)

Paul Prescod paul@prescod.net
Tue, 29 Feb 2000 18:56:33 -0800

Software configuration management is HARD. Every sudden backwards incompatible change (warranted or not) makes it harder. Mutli-arg append is not hurting anyone as much as a sudden change to it would. It would be better to leave append() alone and publicize its near-term removal rather than cause random, part-time supported modules to stop working because their programmers may be too busy to update them right now.

So no, I'm not stepping up to do it. But I'm also saying that the better "lazy" option is to put something in a prominent place in the documentation and otherwise leave it alone.

-- Paul Prescod - ISOGEN Consulting Engineer speaking for himself "The calculus and the rich body of mathematical analysis to which it gave rise made modern science possible, but it was the algorithm that made possible the modern world." - from "Advent of the Algorithm" David Berlinski http://www.opengroup.com/mabooks/015/0151003386.shtml