[Python-Dev] Text about cycle GC

[Vladimir Marangozov]

Guido van Rossum wrote:
> 
> I wonder if we should turn this option *on* during beta testing?

Why not, as long as --without-gc does not suffer from bugs hidden by
--with-gc.

> 
> That way we gather a lot more experience with its use!  Maybe nobody
> complains and we can leave it on in the final release...

This is risky. We don't have enough experience with this implementation.
All we know is that things get slower and consume more memory. Without
a clear picture of the impact of this GC implementation, it's probably
a bad idea to enable (i.e. impose) it by default.  

The "optional experimental feature" label is good and IMO it complies
with anybody's expectations. Interested people will jump in and will
eventually contribute with improvements, those who don't care won't
and will live happily without it (at least until the day the feature
and its implementation reach their expected maturity).

-- 
       Vladimir MARANGOZOV          | Vladimir.Marangozov@inrialpes.fr
http://sirac.inrialpes.fr/~marangoz | tel:(+33-4)76615277 fax:76615252