[Python-Dev] Dropping __init__.py requirement for subpackages

[Guido van Rossum]

On 4/26/06, Phillip J. Eby <pje at telecommunity.com> wrote:
> At 01:49 PM 4/26/2006 -0700, Guido van Rossum wrote:
> >OK, forget it. I'll face the pitchforks.
> >
> >I'm disappointed though -- it sounds like we can never change anything
> >about Python any more because it will upset the oldtimers.
>
> I know exactly how you feel.  :)

Hardly -- you're not the BDFL. :)

> But there's always Python 3.0, and if we're refactoring the import
> machinery there, we can do this the right way, not just the "right now"
> way.  ;)  IMO, if Py3K does this, it can and should be inclusive of
> top-level packages and assemble __path__ using all the sys.path
> entries.  If we're going to break it, let's break it all the way.  :)

No -- I'm actually quite happy with most of the existing behavior
(though not with the APIs).

> I'm still really curious why the importer solution (especially if tucked
> away in a Google-defined sitecustomize) won't work, though.

Well, we have a sitecustomize, and it's been decided that it's such a
pain to get it to do the right thing that we're trying to get rid of
it. So proposing to add more magic there would not work.

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