[Python-ideas] Changing the name of __pycache__

Steven D'Aprano steve at pearwood.info
Wed Feb 9 20:14:24 CET 2011


Raymond Hettinger wrote:

> If a consensus were to emerge, it would still be possible to 
> change the name from "__pycache__" to ".pycache".

-1.

Please don't encourage the Unix anti-pattern of scattering invisible 
breadcrumbs all throughout your work-area.

Besides, unless I'm misinformed, such dot files aren't invisible in 
Windows systems (or Mac?), so the fundamental assumption that changing 
the name will make it invisible will be wrong for many, perhaps most, users.

I don't particularly like the name __pycache__ but it does match the 
Python convention of using double-underscore names. Otherwise, it risks 
clashing with a user's own directory. I *far* prefer it over .pycache.



-- 
Steven



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