[Python-Dev] Re: Stability and change

[Gordon McMillan]

On 6 Apr 2002 at 20:18, Guido van Rossum wrote:

> ...  When fixing a bug breaks code, it can mean two
> things: (a) the fix was to introduce a feature
> (sometimes the right thing to do); or (b) the bug
> was so pervasive that work-arounds became
> widespread, and the fix breaks the work-around. 
> Both are relatively rare (but have happened). 

I keep a fairly large body of code working with
1.5.2 onwards. If you broaden (b) to include cases
where code that *accidentally* worked in an earlier
release fails in a later release, then it covers 100%
of the changes I've had to make. (1.5.2 to 2.0 was
painful; the others have been easy).

(FWIW, the hardest post 1.5.2 feature for me
to do without is augmented assignment.)
 
-- Gordon
http://www.mcmillan-inc.com/