[Idle-dev] IDLE improvements

[Kurt B. Kaiser]

"Jason Doucette" <jason at jasondoucette.com> writes:

> I have been using IDLE within Windows XP for a little while now.  I
> have analyzed quite a few problems, most of them caused by user
> interface issues.
>
> What is the best method for me to make these issues known, so they
> can possibly be fixed?  IDLE's main page states: "If you want to
> contribute to IDLE, please join the IDLE-dev mailing list for IDLE
> developers. This is where we set priorities and hash out designs."
> So, this looks like this is a good place to start.  Should I post
> concerns, one at a time, to this mailing list?

If you have identified actual bugs, please post them to the
Sourceforge Python Bug Tracker.  If you have patches, post to the
Python Patch Tracker.  Set the Category to IDLE.

http://sourceforge.net/projects/python/

That way they will not get lost, and there is a relatively orderly
process to respond to them.

This list is appropriate for general discussion of issues related to
IDLE development.

The order of IDLE development priority is:

0. critical bugs
1. patches for bugs
2. important bugs submitted w/o patches.
3. patches for new functionality

Then requests for enhancement (RFE, use Sourceforge), 'normal' bugs
without patches, and the developer's personal interests are worked on
in some random fashion.

Please review the archives to get a feel for IDLE's design goals:

* Stability is more important than features.

* Keep the surprise factor low.

* Simple interface: usable by children as well as professionals.

* (But satisfy 98% of professional needs for writing pure Python code)

* Enhancement via IDLE's extension mechanism.

* Avoid creeping features.


Also, please don't feel, as some apparently do, that you should get
an answer for every comment you make, or feel badly when you don't.
Lack of response doesn't imply a lack of interest in your remarks,
just a shortage of time to discuss all of them.  We're all volunteers.

The truism is, "The more you yack, the less you hack."

Anyway, welcome to the list!

-- 
KBK