telnetlib option negotiation callback should be a method

[Steve Reeves]

I have an application using telnet that requires option subnegotiation
(specifically, it needs to set a terminal type in the manner of RFC
1091).  The standard telnetlib doesn't currently support this.  I
would like to extend it to do so, but the current design of the option
negotiation callback makes this difficult.

Currently, the callback is a function taking a socket as an argument.
This is adequate for sending data to the server, but not for
receiving.  It bypasses the Telnet object's internal queue, which may
already contain the data you're waiting for.  It also requires you to
reimplement the special processing the protocol requires (undoubling
IAC characters), and the default negotiation behavior.

The callback really needs to be a method of the Telnet object, with
access to the internal queue.  It can implement the default DONT/WONT
negotiation.  Subclasses can override it to handle the specific
options they want and forward the rest to the base class.  The
set_option_negotiation_callback() method would no longer be needed.

(This question of function vs. method was briefly raised when the
telnetlib patch was first submitted, <http://www.python.org/sf/416079>,
but it was left as a function.)

Opinions?

-- 
Steve Reeves
stever at gate.net