[Python-Dev] Backporting PEP 414 (original) (raw)

"Martin v. Löwis" martin at v.loewis.de
Thu Mar 1 00:02:59 CET 2012

There is a really simple litmus test for whether something is a bug: does it deviate from the specification?

In this case, the specification is the grammar, and the implementation certainly doesn't deviate from it. So it can't be a bug. I don't think anyone can assert that the specification itself is immune to having "bugs".

I can assert that - a specification inherently cannot be "incorrect". It can only be "unintentional".

There are certainly documentation errors. They occur when the documentation deviates from the implementation and from the intent. They are easy to fix in a bug fix release (assuming the implementation correctly reflects the intent).

But then, this isn't the case here, either: the intent of the current grammar is that there is no u prefix in the Python 3 language. So the specification clearly corresponds to the intent also.

Regards, Martin

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