[Python-Dev] --disable-unicode (Tests and unicode)

["Martin v. Löwis"]

M.-A. Lemburg wrote:
> Is the added complexity needed to support not having Unicode support
> compiled into Python really worth it ?

If there are volunteers willing to maintain it, and the other volunteers
are not affected: certainly.

> I know that Martin introduced this feature a long time ago,
> so he will have had a reason for it.

I added it because users requested it. I personally never use it.

> Today, I think the situation has changed: computers have more
> memory, are faster and the need to integrate (e.g. via XML)
> is stronger than ever - and maybe we should consider removing
> the option to get a cleaner code base with fewer #ifdefs
> and SyntaxErrors from the standard lib.
> 
> What do you think ?

-0 for just ripping it out. +0 if PEP 5 is followed, atleast
in spirit (i.e. give users advance warning to let them protest).

I guess users in embedded builds (either in embedded systems,
or embedding Python into some other application) might still
be interested in the feature. Of course, these users could either
recreate the feature if we remove it, or just stay with
Python 2.4.

Regards,
Martin