[Python-Dev] Three-char file extensions

[Anders J. Munch]

Scott Dial wrote:
> In general, this is not true. FAT16 can address a 2GB device and I can 
> think of at least one embedded system I am working with that does not 
> support FAT32. If anything, at least .pyzip reduces to .pyz in 8dot3 
> (whereas .py.z reduces to .z *yikes!*). However, I think it is still 
> best practice to aim for 8dot3 naming.

The three-letter extension namespace is very small and heavily
overloaded.  There's no such thing as a previously unused three-letter
extension; it's bound to conflict with something, even if we don't
know what it is.  It's not best practice to restrict yourself to
short, cryptic, ambiguous names unless you have to.

For stuff hardwired into the interpreter, I agree it's safer to stick
with 8+3.  But this is just the default association created by the
installer.  If it's creating problems, you can always rename your
files to .pyz or whatever you like and create an association for that.

I'm a little surprised that people are suffering 8+3 names on their
usb drives in this day and age still.  I suppose if I had to deal with
that, I would just zip/tar up my long-file-named files in an 8+3-named
archive.  And since a .pyz-file is just such an archive, I concede the
point and withdraw my suggestion.

- Anders