[Python-Dev] PEP 408 -- Standard library preview package (original) (raw)

Barry Warsaw barry at python.org
Fri Jan 27 22:10:51 CET 2012

On Jan 27, 2012, at 05:26 PM, Alex wrote:

I'm -1 on this, for a pretty simple reason. Something goes into preview, instead of it's final destination directly because it needs feedback/possibly changes. However, given the release cycle of the stdlib (~18 months), any feedback it gets can't be seen by actual users until it's too late. Essentially you can only get one round of stdlib.

I'm -1 on this as well. It just feels like the completely wrong way to stabilize an API, and I think despite the caveats that are explicit in preview, Python will just catch tons of grief from users and haters about API instability anyway, because from a practical standpoint, applications written using preview APIs will be less stable.

It also won't improve the situation for prospective library developers because they're locked into Python's development cycle anyway. I also think the benefit to users is a false one since it will be much harder to write applications that are portable across Python releases.

I think a significantly healthier process (in terms of maximizing feedback and getting something into it's best shape) is to let a project evolve naturally on PyPi and in the ecosystem, give feedback to it from an inclusion perspective, and then include it when it becomes ready on it's own merits. The counter argument to this is that putting it in the stdlib gets you signficantly more eyeballs (and hopefully more feedback, therefore), my only response to this is: if it doesn't get eyeballs on PyPi I don't think there's a great enough need to justify it in the stdlib.

I agree with everything Alex said here.

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