[Python-Dev] python/dist/src/Lib/bsddb init.py,1.5,1.6 (original) (raw)

Raymond Hettinger python at rcn.com
Sat Sep 13 02:14:12 EDT 2003

[Raymond]

> It has some. That's why GvR had me bring it to python-dev > so you guys could help decide on the proper balance. > But for that one thought, the decision to apply is clear cut.

[Martin]

There is no proper balance. If you believe in the policy "no new features", this policy is absolute - it would be pointless to accept some new features, but reject others on grounds of the policy.

This policy is mutually exclusive with "new features are fine as long as they don't break anything". You can get opinions, but you cannot get consensus.

Well put!

Even bugfixes are features in that something will work under Py2.3.1 that won't work under Py2.3.0. So, even an absolutist policy on our end shouldn't create a false sense of security or relieve a developer from testing his or her application on the lowest numbered Python for which it is claimed to run (including micro-releases).

That has always been true. If you developed something under Py2.2.3 and expected it to run under Py2.2.0, the only way to be sure would be to test it with Py2.2.0.

In this particular case, we are (IMHO) much better off adding an iterable interface than leaving current situation with "db.first()" and "while 1: db.next()" wrapped in a try/except for an undocumented exception class -- yuck. Worse still, the docs for Py2.3.0 cannot be changed and they are wrong on several counts (the methods return items instead of keys; EOF is signaled by an exception instead of None; and the example doesn't run).

Raymond

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