[Python-Dev] Re: Stability and change (original) (raw)

Gordon McMillan gmcm@hypernet.com
Sun, 7 Apr 2002 09:55:24 -0400

On 6 Apr 2002 at 20:18, Guido van Rossum wrote:

... When fixing a bug breaks code, it can mean two things: (a) the fix was to introduce a feature (sometimes the right thing to do); or (b) the bug was so pervasive that work-arounds became widespread, and the fix breaks the work-around. Both are relatively rare (but have happened).

I keep a fairly large body of code working with 1.5.2 onwards. If you broaden (b) to include cases where code that accidentally worked in an earlier release fails in a later release, then it covers 100% of the changes I've had to make. (1.5.2 to 2.0 was painful; the others have been easy).

(FWIW, the hardest post 1.5.2 feature for me to do without is augmented assignment.)

-- Gordon http://www.mcmillan-inc.com/