[Python-Dev] deprecate commands.getstatus() (original) (raw)

Guido van Rossum guido at python.org
Thu Mar 22 22:22:48 CET 2007

On 3/22/07, Jon Ribbens <jon+python-dev at unequivocal.co.uk> wrote:

""Martin v. Löwis"" <martin at v.loewis.de> wrote: > > And do we even need os.fork(), os.exec*(), os.spawn*()? > > I don't know about about os.fork; I surely like to have posix.fork. > The posix module exposes many OS functions as-is. This has the > advantage that their semantics are crystal-clear: they do whatever the > system call does (which, ideally, is what POSIX specifies for it). > So you can do systems programming in Python, and only need good > knowledge of the underlying system calls (i.e. using Python as a > better C).

I definitely agree. Removing the POSIX system call mappings would make Python less useful and general-purpose. Yes it's nice to have high-level utility functions like those in the subprocess module, but I think it's very important for the low-level functions to be there too when you need them.

Sure. os.fork() and the os.exec*() family can stay. But os.spawn*(), that abomination invented by Microsoft? I also hear no opposition against killign os.system() and os.popen().

-- --Guido van Rossum (home page: http://www.python.org/~guido/)

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