[Python-Dev] Deprecating the formatter module

[Eli Bendersky]

On Wed, Aug 14, 2013 at 11:37 AM, Terry Reedy <tjreedy at udel.edu> wrote:

> On 8/14/2013 12:09 PM, Nick Coghlan wrote:
>
>> On 14 August 2013 11:55, Brett Cannon <brett at python.org> wrote:
>>
>
>  I view a deprecation as the same thing. If we leave the module in until
>>> Python 4 then I can live with that, but simply moving documentation
>>> around
>>> is not enough to communicate to those who didn't read the release notes
>>> to
>>> know modules they rely on are now essentially orphaned.
>>>
>>
>> No, a deprecation isn't enough, because it doesn't help authors and
>> educators to know "this is legacy, you can skip it". We need both.
>>
>
> At least a couple of releases before deletion, we should put a 'legacy'
> package up on pypi. Then the deprecation message could say to use that as
> an alternative.
>

To reiterate a point that was raised previously -- IMHO it would be a
mistake to actually delete this (or other) modules before "Python 4".
There's been enough breakage in Python 3 already. Some projects may only
switch to Python 3.x when x is 4 or 5 or 9. Let's not make it even harder!
I suggest we revisit this issue when the module in question becomes an
actual maintenance burden. For the time being, if we feel bad this module
isn't well documented/tested/understood, ISTM that moving it to
"deprecated" status and to a "legacy/obsolete" section of the library
documentation should help us handle those feelings of guilt.

Eli
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