[Python-Dev] Assigning to __debug__

[Paul F. Dubois]

FWIW, this change broke a lot of my code and it took an hour or two to fix
it. I too was misled by the wording when __debug__ was introduced. I could
swear there were even examples of assigning to it, but maybe I'm dreaming.
Anyway, I thought I could.

Regardless of my delusions, this is another change that breaks code in the
middle of a beta cycle. I think that is not a good thing. It is one thing
when one goes to get a new beta or alpha; you expect to spend some time
then. It is another when one has been a good soldier and tried the beta and
is now using it for routine work and updating to a new version of it breaks
something because someone thought it ought to be broken. (If I don't use it
for my work I certainly won't find any problems with it). I realize that
this can't be a hard and fast rule but I think this one in particular
deserves warning status now and change in 2.2.