[Python-Dev] PEP 408 -- Standard library __preview__ package

[Alex]

Eli Bendersky <eliben <at> gmail.com> writes:

> 
> Hello,
> 
> Following an earlier discussion on python-ideas [1], we would like to
> propose the following PEP for review. Discussion is welcome. The PEP
> can also be viewed in HTML form at
> http://www.python.org/dev/peps/pep-0408/
> 
> [1] http://mail.python.org/pipermail/python-ideas/2012-January/013246.html
> 

I'm -1 on this, for a pretty simple reason. Something goes into __preview__,
instead of it's final destination directly because it needs feedback/possibly
changes. However, given the release cycle of the stdlib (~18 months), any
feedback it gets can't be seen by actual users until it's too late. Essentially
you can only get one round of stdlib.

I think a significantly healthier process (in terms of maximizing feedback and
getting something into it's best shape) is to let a project evolve naturally on
PyPi and in the ecosystem, give feedback to it from an inclusion perspective,
and then include it when it becomes ready on it's own merits. The counter
argument to  this is that putting it in the stdlib gets you signficantly more
eyeballs (and hopefully more feedback, therefore), my only response to this is:
if it doesn't get eyeballs on PyPi I don't think there's a great enough need to
justify it in the stdlib.

Alex