[Python-Dev] PEP 263 -- Python Source Code Encoding

[Guido van Rossum]

> > (I'd still *prefer* it the other way around, where you have to specify
> > an explicit option to make the default equal to the locale rather than
> > ASCII, but I can see the other side.  Sigh.)
> 
> Let's put it this way: the interpreter's default encoding has
> to be changed explicitly by the sys admin (in sitecustomize.py),
> so the decision to take e.g. a locale specific default encoding
> is one which the admin maintaining the installation has
> to make (with all the consequences that go with it).

OK.  I missed that part -- I thought that it would look in the locale
by default.

> Per default, the default encoding is ASCII, so I don't
> think we really need an extra option. 

Agreed.

> Hmm, could be that python -S already implies this, BTW...

:-)

> checking this reveils that even sys.setdefaultencoding()
> remains available if -S is used. Perhaps we should remove
> the API with -S too ?!

I don't think so.  It should be left in, caveat emptor.

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