[Python-Dev] PEP comments, bugs, and patches

[Guido van Rossum]

> I just found that PEP 1 is confusing in its instructions of how to
> submit feedback on a PEP. In one place, it says
> 
> #  A better strategy is to encourage public feedback directly to the
> #  PEP author, who collects and integrates the comments back into the
> #  PEP.
> 
> which suggest that proposed amendments to a PEP should be sent to the
> author. Later, it says
> 
> # Please use the SourceForge bug manager[6] if you want to report
> # problems with PEPs, or better yet, the SourceForge patch manager[2]
> # for submitting patches to PEPs.
> 
> which suggest that proposed amendments should be sent as patches to
> SF. Now, which of these procedures is preferred? Does the second mean
> that every PEP author needs permission to modify the patch database?
> Should every such patch be assigned to the PEP editor (i.e. Barry)?

What's best may depend on the stage a PEP is in.  In the initial
stages of a PEP, when the author is actively working on it, it may be
more efficient to write the author than go through the (somewhat
heavier) SF mechanisms.  But later, when editing is less frantic, I
see the advantages of the SF tracker.

--Guido van Rossum (home page: http://www.python.org/~guido/)