Proposal: an unchanging URL for Python documentation

[Tim Peters]

[Steve]
> I have a suggestion/request that will, I think, improve the Python
> documentation.
>
> Currently, the Python documentation in HTML format is stored at URLs
> that change with each new release of Python.  That is, for example, the
> documentation for the os module is at
> http://python.org/doc/2.3/lib/module-os.html for release 2.3 of Python,
> at http://python.org/doc/2.4/lib/module-os.html for release 2.4 and so
> on.

Have you tried <http://docs.python.org>?
 
> I propose that an additional a URL be set up for the Python HTML
> documentation.  This URL will always contain the current version of the
> documentation.  Suppose we call it "current".  Then (while 2.4 is still
> the current version)  the documentation for the os module would also be
> available at
> http://python.org/doc/current/lib/module-os.html.

Try

    http://docs.python.org/lib/module-os.html

> There are three advantages to this proposal.
>
> (1) It is cheap and easy to do.
>
> (2) If a person regularly refers to the documentation for the os
> module, he can bookmark
> http://python.org/doc/current/lib/module-os.html and always be sure of
> getting the most current version.
>
> (3) This would give Pythonistas -- basically as a freebie --
> annotatable documentation.  You may be familiar with Wikalong (
> http://www.wikalong.org/ ).  Wikalong basically allows you to annotate
> any URL.  If we had a "current" URL for Python documentation, people
> could add Wikalong notes to the current documentation without worrying
> that the annotations would not survive the release of the next version
> of Python.  Being able to use Wikalong would provide the Python
> community with the opportunity to experiment with annotatable documents
> (not to mention,  ride the leading edge of the Wikalong wave).  And
> those who dislike annotated documentation can easily ignore it or turn
> it off the Wikalong sidebar (assuming that they have Wikalong installed
> in the first place).

Con:  It's already there, and TOOWTDI <wink>.