[Python-Dev] Maintenance burden of str.swapcase (original) (raw)

Steven D'Aprano steve at pearwood.info
Wed Sep 7 03:02:05 CEST 2011

Raymond Hettinger wrote:

On Sep 6, 2011, at 1:36 PM, Martin v. Löwis wrote:

I think this is what people underestimate. I can't name applications either - but that doesn't mean they don't exist. Google code search is pretty good indicator that this method has near zero uptake. If it dies, I don't think anyone will cry.

Near-zero is not zero, and Terry has already shown some examples of code which use, or misuse, swapcase.

In any case (pun intended wink) this was discussed in December and Guido expressed little enthusiasm for the idea:

http://mail.python.org/pipermail/python-dev/2010-December/106650.html

I can't exactly defend the existence of swapcase, it does seem to be a fairly specialised function. But given that it exists, I'm -0.5 on removal on the basis of "if it ain't broke, don't fix it".

-- Steven

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