python-dev Summary for 2004-01-01 through 2004-01-31

[Brett C.]

python-dev Summary for 2004-01-01 through 2004-01-31
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
This is a summary of traffic on the `python-dev mailing list`_ from=20
January 1, 2004 through January 31, 2004.  It is intended to inform the=20
wider Python community of on-going developments on the list.  To comment=20
on anything mentioned here, just post to `comp.lang.python`_ (or email=20
python-list@python.org which is a gateway to the newsgroup) with a=20
subject line mentioning what you are discussing. All python-dev members=20
are interested in seeing ideas discussed by the community, so don't=20
hesitate to take a stance on something.  And if all of this really=20
interests you then get involved and join `python-dev`_!

This is the thirty-third and -fourth summaries written by Brett Cannon=20
(who is rather fed up with being sick recently).

To contact me, please send email to brett at python.org ; I do not have=20
the time to keep up on comp.lang.python and thus do not always catch=20
follow-ups posted there.

All summaries are archived at http://www.python.org/dev/summary/ .

Please note that this summary is written using reStructuredText_ which=20
can be found at http://docutils.sf.net/rst.html .  Any unfamiliar=20
punctuation is probably markup for reST_ (otherwise it is probably=20
regular expression syntax or a typo =3D); you can safely ignore it,=20
although I suggest learning reST; it's simple and is accepted for `PEP=20
markup`_ and gives some perks for the HTML output.  Also, because of the=20
wonders of programs that like to reformat text, I cannot guarantee you=20
will be able to run the text version of this summary through Docutils_=20
as-is unless it is from the original text file.

.. _PEP Markup: http://www.python.org/peps/pep-0012.html

The in-development version of the documentation for Python can be found=20
at http://www.python.org/dev/doc/devel/ and should be used when looking=20
up any documentation on something mentioned here.  PEPs (Python=20
Enhancement Proposals) are located at http://www.python.org/peps/ .  To=20
view files in the Python CVS online, go to=20
http://cvs.sourceforge.net/cgi-bin/viewcvs.cgi/python/ .  Reported bugs=20
and suggested patches can be found at the SourceForge_ project page.

The `Python Software Foundation`_ is the non-profit organization that=20
holds the intellectual property for Python.  It also tries to forward=20
the development and use of Python.  But the PSF_ cannot do this without=20
donations.  You can make a donation at=20
http://python.org/psf/donations.html .  Every penny helps so even a=20
small donation (you can donate through PayPal or by check) helps.

.. _python-dev: http://www.python.org/dev/
.. _SourceForge: http://sourceforge.net/tracker/?group_id=3D5470
.. _python-dev mailing list:=20
http://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/python-dev
.. _comp.lang.python: http://groups.google.com/groups?q=3Dcomp.lang.pytho=
n
.. _Docutils: http://docutils.sf.net/
.. _reST:
.. _reStructuredText: http://docutils.sf.net/rst.html
.. _PSF:
.. _Python Software Foundation: http://python.org/psf/

.. contents::

.. _last summary:=20
http://www.python.org/dev/summary/2003-12-01_2003-12-31.html


=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D
Summary Announcements
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Quick personal announcement/plea: I am looking for a summer=20
job/internship.  If you happen to have a position at your company or=20
happen to know of one somewhere **please** let me know at=20
brett@python.org .  I obviously know Python rather well, but I do know=20
other languages.  I am quite willing to send you my resume and answer=20
any questions you might have about experience, etc.  I would truly=20
appreciate any help anyone can provide me in finding something for the=20
summer.  I do have housing handled in the Los Angeles area and the=20
Seattle/Bellevue area on top of the San Luis Obispo area, although I am=20
willing to relocate for the summer.

Sorry about the lateness of this summary.  I realize this is going out=20
when another one is already due.  Unfortunately, on top of needing to=20
secure a summer job/internship and trying to get that dealt with, I also=20
got strep throat that was rather horrid.  It was not fun to only be=20
officially over pneumonia for a couple of weeks before I got sick again.=20
  Rather frustrating since I haven't been this ill so often since I was=20
a little kid.  And having to deal with school on top of being sick did=20
not help matters.

In actual Python-related news, PyCon_ is still open for registration.=20
If you haven't yet, go to http://pycon.org/dc2004/register/ and=20
register!  Last year was a blast and I expect no less from this year (I=20
am actually spending my Spring Break at PyCon I enjoyed myself so much=20
last year).  Papers have been selected and it looks like we are going to=20
have a great line-up of talks that cover the gamut of interests.  In=20
other words I highly recommend attending if you can.

And even if you can't attend, if you are in the D.C. area, consider at=20
least attending the first two days of the sprints which are the weekend=20
preceding the conference (March 20-21).  More info on the sprints can be=20
found at http://www.python.org/cgi-bin/moinmoin/SprintPlan2004 .

And now, on with the juicy stuff...

.. _PyCon: http://www.pycon.org/

=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D
Summaries
=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D

---------------------
Benchmarking is a go!
---------------------
After Guido committed the parrotbench code to CVS, various people began=20
to run the benchmark and post their scores.  If you are curious to see=20
how your machine compares take a look at the contributing threads.

Contributing threadds:
   - `Pie-thon benchmark code ready=20
<http://mail.python.org/pipermail/python-dev/2004-January/041551.html>`__
   - `Re: Are we collecting benchmark results across machines=20
<http://mail.python.org/pipermail/python-dev/2004-January/041553.html>`__


-----------------------------------
Windows compilation moved to VC.NET
-----------------------------------
Martin v. L=E2=88=9A=E2=88=82wis converted the project files and anything=
 else needed so=20
that Python can now be compiled using VC.NET .  All of the previous=20
files needed for compiling under VC 6 has been moved to PC/VC6 .

Contributing threads:
   - `Switch to VC.NET 7.1 completed=20
<http://mail.python.org/pipermail/python-dev/2004-January/041600.html>`__


--------------------------
Shutting Unicode errors up
--------------------------
Enough people have asked for the ability to silence Unicode errors that=20
Martin v. L=E2=88=9A=E2=88=82wis suggested adding a module attribute in s=
ys to specify=20
whether Unicode errors should be ignored or not.  M.A. Lemburg, though,=20
thought it was a bad idea and suggested instead that people use a custom=20
codec that relaxed the error-handling.

the thread seemed to end with no changes planned.

Contributing threads:
   ` Relaxing Unicode error handling=20
<http://mail.python.org/pipermail/python-dev/2004-January/041605.html>`__


-------------------------------------------------------------------------=
--------------
new PEPs (sorry, nothing witty came to me about PEPs that was not=20
excruciatingly corny)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------=
--------------
In all cases, ignore the Created date in terms of posting date; click on=20
the Last Modified link if you care to see when the PEP was officially add=
ed.

`PEP 324`_ proposes a new module named popen5.  As suggested by the=20
name, it hopes to come up with a unified module for process creation.=20
To see Guido's initial response to the PEP and what he thinks is a=20
"category killer" and why any new additions to the stdlib must be one,=20
read http://mail.python.org/pipermail/python-dev/2004-January/041698.html=
 .

`PEP 325`_ proposes a 'close' method for generators so as to handle what=20
normally would be handled in a try/finally block (such as closing files=20
and such).

`PEP 326`_ wants to add maximum and minimum singletons.  Guido rejected=20
the PEP.  There is a complete implementation, though, with the PEP.

`PEP 327`_ is the long-awaited decimal type PEP that has been in the=20
process of being refined for quite a while.  Development in the sandbox=20
has been moving forward.

`PEP 328`_ is the 'import' PEP in terms of multi-line imports and=20
dealing with relative imports.

.. _PEP 324: http://python.org/peps/pep-0324.html
.. _PEP 325: http://python.org/peps/pep-0325.html
.. _PEP 326: http://python.org/peps/pep-0326.html
.. _PEP 327: http://python.org/peps/pep-0327.html
.. _PEP 328: http://python.org/peps/pep-0328.html

Contributing threads:
   - `PEP 324: popen5 - New POSIX process module=20
<http://mail.python.org/pipermail/python-dev/2004-January/041606.html>`__
   - `New version of installer=20
<http://mail.python.org/pipermail/python-dev/2004-January/041672.html>`__
   - `prePEP "Decimal data type" v0.2=20
<http://mail.python.org/pipermail/python-dev/2004-January/041691.html>`__
   - `PEP 326 (quick location possibility)=20
<http://mail.python.org/pipermail/python-dev/2004-January/042303.html>`__
   - `PEP 327: Decimal Data Type=20
<http://mail.python.org/pipermail/python-dev/2004-January/042347.html>`__


-------------------------------------
Making Python and HP-UX friends again
-------------------------------------
Cameron Laird said he wanted to try to spear-head an attempt to get=20
Python to compiled on HP-UX correctly.  In the past threading support=20
has been out of the question and getting Tkinter to go has been an issue=20
as well along with curses.  Cameron said he would like to get Python=20
working for HP-UX as far back as version 10.20, although he said he=20
would also be fine with the current 11.x versions.

Most of it seems to have to do with requiring tweaks to Configure.in,=20
Modules/Setup, and setup.py .  As of this exact second no patches have=20
been added to SourceForge_.  You can get a version of Python 2.3.3=20
compiled for HP-UX at=20
http://hpux.cs.utah.edu/hppd/hpux/Languages/python-2.3.3/ .

This also led to a slight discussion of how slightly crufty Configure.in=20
is.  Any help bringing it up-to-date or cleaning up would be appreciated.

Contributing threads:
   - `HP-UX clean-up=20
<http://mail.python.org/pipermail/python-dev/2004-January/041607.html>`__


----------------------------
msi installer for Python 2.4
----------------------------
Going for the record of the person mentioned the largest number times in=20
a single Summary who is not labeled a BDFL, Martin v. L=E2=88=9A=E2=88=82=
wis updated his=20
msi installer for Python 2.4 .  It can be found at=20
http://www.dcl.hpi.uni-potsdam.de/home/loewis/python2.4.0.12421.msi=20
along with info on the installer at=20
http://www.dcl.hpi.uni-potsdam.de/home/loewis/msipackage.html .

Contributing threads:
   - `New version of installer=20
<http://mail.python.org/pipermail/python-dev/2004-January/041661.html>`__
   - `Python MSI=20
<http://mail.python.org/pipermail/python-dev/2004-January/041921.html>`__


----------------------
New collections module
----------------------
Raymond Hettinger has created a new module called 'collections'.  It=20
primary purpose is to be home to "high-performance container datatypes".=20
  To start, it only has an implementation of deques.

Contributing threads:
   - `collections module=20
<http://mail.python.org/pipermail/python-dev/2004-January/041829.html>`__
   - `collections module (correction)=20
<http://mail.python.org/pipermail/python-dev/2004-January/041899.html>`__
   - `Collections=20
<http://mail.python.org/pipermail/python-dev/2004-January/042270.html>`__


----------------
CJKCodecs in 2.4
----------------
A perk of having Hye-Shik Chang an official developer of Python is=20
getting his CJKCodecs integrated into Python 2.4 .

Contributing threads:
   - `CJKCodecs integration into Python=20
<http://mail.python.org/pipermail/python-dev/2004-January/041836.html>`__
   - `Oodles of warnings in cjkcodecs=20
<http://mail.python.org/pipermail/python-dev/2004-January/042203.html>`__


---------------
Statistics talk
---------------
Raymond Hettinger asked for some suggestions on a statistics module he=20
was working on.  A whole bunch of stuff from names to algorithms to=20
include came up.  There is now a module in the sandbox being worked on=20
to implement what was discussed.

Contributing threads:
   - `Accumulation module=20
<http://mail.python.org/pipermail/python-dev/2004-January/041988.html>`__


------------------------------------
Installer problems for MacPython-OS9
------------------------------------
Jack Jansen told python-dev how he has not been able to distribute a=20
version of MacPython-OS9 for Python 2.3.3 because the free license for=20
the installer expired.  It was suggested that the PSF_ pay for a=20
license.  If you think this is a good idea and you are a PSF member=20
consider bringing the topic up at the general meeting to be held at PyCon=
_.

Contributing threads:
   - `No more releases of MacPython-OS9?=20
<http://mail.python.org/pipermail/python-dev/2004-January/042022.html>`__


--------------------------------------
Anyone want to maintain MacPython-OS9?
--------------------------------------
If anyone would like to take over maintenance of MacPython-OS9 so that=20
it continues to exist beyond the 2.3 branch then contact Jack Jansen.

Contributing threads:
   - `PEP 11 mistake?=20
<http://mail.python.org/pipermail/python-dev/2004-January/042036.html>`__


--------------
Python in 2003
--------------
Go to http://python.org/topics/2003.html to read AM Kuchling's report on=20
what happened to Python in 2003.

Contributing threads:
   - `Python in 2003 summary=20
<http://mail.python.org/pipermail/python-dev/2004-January/042049.html>`__


---------------------------------
Compiling using the free .NET SDK
---------------------------------
If you wish to compile Python using the free .NET SDK then read the=20
first email in the contributing thread thanks to someone named Garth.

Contributing threads:
   - `Compiling python with the free .NET SDK=20
<http://mail.python.org/pipermail/python-dev/2004-January/042053.html>`__


--------------------------
No dict.addlist() for you!
--------------------------
The idea of adding a method to dict called 'addlist(k,v)' that would act=20
like ``d.setdefault(k, []).append(v)``.  It was eventually agreed upon=20
that the perk of having it as a part of dict was not justified since the=20
idiom it was implementing is simple enough so as to not really require=20
adding the method.

Contributing threads:
   - `dict.addlist()=20
<http://mail.python.org/pipermail/python-dev/2004-January/042114.html>`__


--------------------------------------------------------
Want to be able to change Python's name at compile time?
--------------------------------------------------------
Jack Jansen asked what people thought of adding the ability of being=20
able to specify the name of Python through 'configure' and have the=20
permeate throughout the code.  The main reason for this is to allow=20
people on OS X to be able to have other framework builds of Python that=20
don't interfere with the installed version on OS X 10.3 .

The thread ended with no definitive decision as to whether to move ahead=20
or not.

Contributing threads:
   - `Configure option to change Python's name?=20
<http://mail.python.org/pipermail/python-dev/2004-January/042153.html>`__


---------------------------------
You think you are a Hotshot, huh?
---------------------------------
Sparked by a question about where the development of the Hotshot=20
profiler was, a new file was added to the scripts directory for making=20
it easier to launch Hotshot for profiling.

Contributing threads:
   - `Hotshot=20
<http://mail.python.org/pipermail/python-dev/2004-January/042222.html>`__


-------------------------------------------------
Happy patch/bug statistics days are back again...
-------------------------------------------------
Kurt Kaiser has taken over for Skip Montanaro (thanks to both for=20
continuing and starting this weekly email, respectively) for sending out=20
the "Weekly Python Patch/Bug Summary" email.

Contributing threads:
   - `Weekly Python Patch/Bug Summary=20
<http://mail.python.org/pipermail/python-dev/2004-January/042244.html>`__


---------------------------------------------------
Change in posting rules to python-dev (but barely!)
---------------------------------------------------
The posting rules to python-dev have changed so that emails from=20
non-subscribers must be ok'ed by moderators.  But joining python-dev is=20
still open to the public and requires no clearance from anyone so it is=20
not a big hurdle to overcome to post to the list.

You can always subscribe and turn mail delivery off if you like to.=20
This is needed if you send mail to the list from multiple accounts such=20
as yours truly.

Contributing threads:
   - `Proposed: change to posting rules for python-dev=20
<http://mail.python.org/pipermail/python-dev/2004-January/042358.html>`__


-----------------------------------
GPL code in Python core is not okay
-----------------------------------
Although the question was specific to python-mode.el, the general answer=20
is that GPL code is not allowed into Python.  The clash of the GPL with=20
the PSF license since the latter is BSD-style.

Contributing threads:
   - `Would GPL on python-mode.el be a problem?=20
<http://mail.python.org/pipermail/python-dev/2004-January/042311.html>`__