[Python-Dev] Is it safe to assume that Python 2.7 is always built with unicode support?

[martin at v.loewis.de]

> I'm looking into issue 1065986 [1], and in order to submit a patch I need
> to know whether I have to take into account the eventuality that cpyhon 2.7
> be built without unicode support.

It's intended (at least, it is *my* intention) that Python 2.7 can be built
without Unicode support, and it's a bug if that is not possible anymore.
Certain embedded configurations might want that.

That doesn't mean that the bug needs to be fixed; this can be deferred until
somebody actually requests that bug being fixed, or better, until somebody
contributes a patch to do so.

However, it *does* mean that we shouldn't further break the feature, at least
not knowingly.

OTOH, it's clear that certain functionality cannot work if Unicode is  
disabled,
so it may be acceptable if pydoc breaks in such a configuration.

Regards,
Martin