[Python-Dev] [Python-checkins] r53110 - python/trunk/Lib/mailbox.py

["Martin v. Löwis"]

A.M. Kuchling schrieb:
> The constants were added in 2.5. I've gone ahead and made the
> documentation change to trunk and 25-maint, because why were the
> constants added if they weren't intended to be used?

See #711830. They were added for compatibility (with earlier Python
releases) primarily. Some people believe in these constants, so just
let them have them. Python (the API) doesn't really rely on them,
but instead guarantees that the numeric values are always the same
across platforms.

Now it seem that introducing them has the unfortunate side effect
that people think they *have* to use them, and that doing so gives
better code...

Regards,
Martin