I am not sure of the exact time frame that this was introduced (zero='', breaking backwards-compatibility) by it was only a matter of a couple of months ago, not a year. The exact date was "2010-01-03" of this change, at http://bazaar.launchpad.net/~mdipierro/web2py/devel/revision/1497
Should I point out that A) This was at a time when most who would have had input on this were on holiday break, and B) hardly enough time has passed for all community members to properly test this and C) I am unable to find a post about proposing the change from zero=None to zero='choose a value'. I have searched my GMail archive, as well as the online google groups, and have not found this documented, I take this to mean it "creeped" in without community approval. D) Must I must I must I resurrect the many posts about this? Massimo, do a search for zero in the groups, read the posts there is ample proof of zero=None being an issue. E) There has been more arguments raised by the community against zero='' than there has been for zero=''. Refer to item D for statistics. F) Must I also point out that this feature was added about a year ago, and lived as zero=None for approx. 9 months before the change to zero=''. This is why the rapid release development of web2py is bad, we never get a chance to test these features properly in many environments before they are set in stone and made backwards compatible. Perhaps there should be a time to live (TTL) for new features and their default settings? If a new feature is implemented, put it on a 6 month TTL, if by the close of 6 months it has been stable, then add it as part of the backwards compatibility agreement. This gives ample time for testing by the whole of the community and all who use this lovely framework, whilst still following a rapid-release cycle that has been adopted. * I am still waiting for a operation definition of backwards compatibility * -Thadeus On Wed, Mar 24, 2010 at 10:20 AM, mdipierro <[email protected]> wrote: > It is not that simple. zero='' was introduced about one year ago > because of popular demand at the time and very few people spoke > against it. If you change it now you revert to the behavior you had > one year ago but most recent applications will change behavior. > > This consultation should have a deadline. > > Massimo > > On Mar 24, 9:43 am, Iceberg <[email protected]> wrote: >> On Mar23, 2:29pm, weheh <[email protected]> wrote: >> >> > Thadeus, it's 6 of one, half-dozen of the other to me. I use both. So >> > in theory, it doesn't really matter which is the default. Therefore, I >> > prefer that the default remain whatever it currently is so that I >> > don't have to change any of my code. >> >> To those who use either zero=None or zero='' fifty-fifty, or who >> always specify zero=something explicitly, >> >> Congratulations, because you are lucky enough that you don't need to >> care the vote result very much. However, in this case, it is not about >> what you choose, it is about what you believe. >> >> First of all, we should know that it was zero=None at the very >> beginning when this feature was invented. Somehow, later it changed to >> zero='' or zero='something else' back and forth. >> >> Now, do you believe, from the backward-compatible point of view, we >> should choose a default value which is compatible with the old >> versions even without zero=... being invented? If you do believe, you >> should choose zero=None. >> >> Do you believe, from a minimum-changing-code point of view, this >> efficiency appeal should not only apply for you, whom might >> coincidentally start using web2py after it is in zero!=None era, but >> also apply for all the developers whom already finish more or less >> legacy apps even before the zero=... was invented? If you do believe, >> you should choose zero=None. >> >> Do you believe, from a community point of view, we should not allow >> such a precedent that, an arguable and non-backward-compatible feature >> creep in, and then stay as-is just because "it already happen anyway"? >> That is not wise. If you do believe, you should choose zero=None. >> >> It is now! Let's just end the debate. >> I want you to >> vote.http://www.collegelax.us/news/wp-content/uploads/2009/01/i-want-you-t... >> >> Sincerely, >> Iceberg > > -- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "web2py-users" group. > To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. > To unsubscribe from this group, send email to > [email protected]. > For more options, visit this group at > http://groups.google.com/group/web2py?hl=en. > > -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "web2py-users" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected]. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/web2py?hl=en.
