[Python-Dev] POSIX [Fuzziness in io module specs]

[Stephen J. Turnbull]

Antoine Pitrou writes:

 > I don't believe that POSIX compliance is a sufficient argument to ask 
 > someone to shut up in the discussion of a cross-platform API. Which is 
 > more or less what James' answer was trying to do.

No, as I read it, James said, "when there's precedent, even a
standard, don't make stuff up".  He then referred to the POSIX
standard, which I assume means that's a standard he likes.  But he
didn't say it had to be POSIX, or else shut up.  He said, "respect
precedent" (and implied that ignorance is no excuse, I guess, which is
a little harsh on the Internet<wink>).

And I think he'd agree to weaken his dictum to add "and if there's
good reason to vary from the standard, either quote other standards or
give rationale referring to why you want to vary from the standard."

 > I'm not sure that's true [that POSIX is readily available]. [...] 
 > POSIX specs themselves don't seem to be easily reachable; you might
 > even have to pay for them.

Five minutes with Google gives

http://standards.ieee.org/catalog/olis/arch_posix.html (IEEE members only)
http://www.unix.org/version3/ (registration but no fee required)
http://www.opengroup.org/onlinepubs/000095399/toc.htm (title page for above,
    lets you sneak past the registration, and has higher Googlefu)

Older versions also seem to be readily available.