On Sep 15, 2009, at 1:54 PM, Antoine Pitrou wrote:
Python's reputation will certainly get tarnished, however, ifwidely-used modules get deprecated and removed. We will already get somedamage with all of the py3k changes. No need to worsen our case, IMO.
I don't view this any differently than language evolution. We have a __future__ mechanism and policy for how language features change in incompatible ways between versions. Application developers may not like it, but it's published, they have forewarning, and a long period in which to migrate. New versions of Python break applications every time despite this, and despite lengthy beta releases. Yes, we get grief for that despite the policy, but tough. This is an all- volunteer loosely-organized herd of cats who work on this stuff for fun, taking time away from family, hobbies and sleep. Put up $10M/yr if you want to change that ('course, that's been tried <wink>). Still, we try to be responsible and responsive to our users, which is why we have a long deprecation period.
The stdlib is the same IMO. It must evolve and that means cleaning out the cobwebs from time to time. We can do it in a way that gives full disclosure and ample time to adjust, but I really don't have any sympathy for libraries and applications that /never/ want to update, even though I've been on that side many times. If that's the case, then you will probably have a problem with upgrading Python /at all/ stdlib stagnation or not. Maintaining your own version of Python is a perfectly reasonable and viable option in that case.
OTOH, we don't have to be rash or uncaring about it. A policy that provides an orderly, lengthy migration to better standard libraries seems responsible to me. The first steps can be to add the new library and put a big red warning in the docs of the old code, followed in later years by deprecation warnings in the library and hiding of the documentation, followed by its complete removal many years later. Heck, you probably won't even have to worry about it, it'll be your kids that have to actually remove it from Python :).
-Barry
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