PEP 4: Deprecation of standard modules

[Steve Holden]

Aahz Maruch wrote:
> 
> [posted with cc to fdrake because of doc issues]
> 
> In article <mailman.971107532.4045.python-list at python.org>,
> Michal Wallace  <sabren at manifestation.com> wrote:
> >
> >Why deprecate modules at all? Why not just move them out of the
> >standard distribution and make a home (page) for outcast modules.. As
> >long as you can get to this stuff from parnassus, everyone should be
> >happy. Or am I missing something?
> 
> Well, that's the whole point of deprecating modules.  Before taking the
> step of removing modules from the standard distribution, you want to
> make sure that people get some advance warning so they can switch to the
> appropriate new modules (which is the main reason modules have been
> deprecated in the past; see regex and regsub, for example).  They are
> also almost always modules that people are not currently using.
> 
> But this does suggest to me that perhaps there ought to be a prominent
> section in each release for newly deprecated modules; I'm not sure
> whether this PEP is sufficient.  There is a section in the library
> reference for obsolete modules; I believe current practice is to ship
> obsolete modules in the standard distribution for at least one release,
> just in case.
> 
> Fred, if you want to talk with me about it off-line, feel free to, but
> we should probably include Martin von Loewis.
> --
>                       --- Aahz (Copyright 2000 by aahz at pobox.com)
> 
> Androgynous poly kinky vanilla queer het    <*>     http://www.rahul.net/aahz/
> Hugs and backrubs -- I break Rule 6
> 
> "[I have a] windmill fetish."  --Darkhawk

Would it help to have a specific directory for depracated modules
that would raise a warning whenever modules were imported from it?

This could be done relatively simply, and switched off by an option
for production code containing the depracated modules.

regards
 Steve
-- 
Helping people meet their information needs with training and technology.
703 967 0887      sholden at bellatlantic.net      http://www.holdenweb.com/