[Python-Dev] conceptual clarity (original) (raw)

Andrew McNamara andrewm at object-craft.com.au
Fri Sep 18 03:41:32 CEST 2009

Again, the same error-catching functionality can be obtained through an option to the constructor. network and broadcast attributes can be renamed to .\1address to alleviate confusion as well.

I mentioned before that IPy's insistence on receiving masked out networks was one of the main reasons I wrote ipaddr to begin with. Having ipaddr mimic this behavior would make it significantly less useful. Removing functionality in the name of avoiding confusion doesn't make sense when the same confusion can be alleviated w/o the loss.

The issue is bigger than error checking - I'm maintaining that a distinction between an Address (singleton, item) and a Network (Container) is useful and should be embraced. The current implementation has already partially gone this route, but hasn't completed the transition, and this does not give the structure to users that it could - there's an obligation on modules in the standard library to provide leadership and clarity without being dictatorial. They are essentially silent mentors.

So, while I am not suggesting we build a bondage and discipline machine, I am suggesting that partitioning the functionality differently will result in a better outcome all round.

-- Andrew McNamara, Senior Developer, Object Craft http://www.object-craft.com.au/

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